The Agriculture and National Security Act establishes new positions and procedures within the Department of Agriculture to address food and agriculture security threats. Specifically, the bill requires the USDA to create a new Assistant Secretary for National Security position within 180 days to serve as the principal advisor on national security matters and coordinate between agricultural programs and federal security agencies like the National Security Council and Department of Defense. The bill also allows USDA to exchange personnel with defense, national security, and intelligence agencies to improve information sharing about vulnerabilities in the food and agriculture sector. Finally, the legislation requires USDA to submit biennial reports to Congress and the National Security Council assessing security gaps in agriculture—including foreign ownership of land and assets, supply chain risks, cybersecurity threats, and emerging technology concerns like artificial intelligence and biotechnology—along with policy recommendations to address identified vulnerabilities. The bill does not specify new funding amounts but authorizes resources for the new position and interagency coordination efforts.
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