Safeguarding Harvests: Sen. Britt’s Fight for Cyber Safe Agriculture

Summary

• Senator Katie Britt is cosponsoring the reintroduced Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025.
• Sponsor: Sen. Tom Cotton introduced the bill, S. 754, on February 26, 2025, with Sen. Elissa Slotkin among its cosponsors.
• Risk assessments: USDA would assess cyber threats to the food and agriculture sector every two years, working with CISA.
• Simulation exercises: USDA would run an annual exercise simulating a food-related emergency or disruption.
• Status: The bill was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Why Farms Are a Cyber Target

Modern farms and food processors run on connected equipment, software and data. That makes them targets. A successful attack on a processor or supplier can disrupt food supplies far beyond one company. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama has joined a bipartisan group of senators backing the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025, which aims to protect the sector.

What the Bill Would Do

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas introduced the bill on February 26, 2025, and Britt is one of nine cosponsors, along with Democrats such as Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Jon Ossoff of Georgia. Supporters argue that a durable and reliable agricultural system underpins both the economy and national security, so its cyber defenses deserve federal attention.

The Role of the USDA

The bill puts the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in charge. Working with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), USDA would assess the cybersecurity threats to and vulnerabilities in the food and agriculture sector every two years. Each assessment must include recommendations for legislative or administrative action.

Annual Food Crisis Drills

USDA would also run an annual simulation of a food-related emergency or disruption, coordinated with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The scenario must be realistic and affect multiple sectors and jurisdictions. Experts from agriculture, public health, emergency management, transportation and energy would contribute, and USDA would report the results to Congress.

The Threats Facing Agriculture

Ransomware gangs have hit food processors and farm cooperatives in recent years, and the sector’s growing use of automation and connected equipment widens the attack surface. Many farms and small processors have little security staff.

What Happens Next

The bill sits with the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. A companion bill, H.R. 1604, was introduced in the House.

Can It Pass?

The bill has bipartisan backing, but it still needs committee action before a floor vote. For farmers and food companies, the practical steps do not have to wait. They can back up key systems, secure remote access and plan for how operations would continue if computers went down.

John King, CISSP, PMP, CISM

John King currently works in the greater Los Angeles area as a ISSO (Information Systems Security Officer). John has a passion for learning and developing his cyber security skills through education, hands on work, and studying for IT certifications.