The Harlequin Produce farm grows a wide variety of
organic crops like these corn plants in Arlee, Montana (Source: USDA NRCS
Montana, June 2019). FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SECTOR
PERSPECTIVES ·
JUNE 7, 2023
The U.S. Food and Agriculture
(FA) Sector is composed of complex production, processing, and delivery
systems that can feed people and animals both within and beyond the
boundaries of the United States. Beyond domestic food production, the FA
Sector also imports many ingredients and finished products, leading to a
complex web of growers, processors, suppliers, transporters, distributors,
and consumers. These food and agriculture systems are almost entirely under
private ownership, operate in highly competitive global markets, strive to
operate in harmony with the environment, and provide economic opportunities
and improved quality of life for American citizens and others
worldwide. Food, agriculture, and related industries contributed
more than a trillion dollars to the gross domestic product in 2021 and
accounted for nearly 11% of total employment, including around 2.6 million
farm jobs and nearly 20 million jobs in food- and agriculture-related
industries. If using the Department of
Homeland Security’s (DHS) Infrastructure Data Taxonomy, this massive system
critical to economies, public health and human culture would be described as
being comprised of establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising
animals, harvesting timber, fish, and other animals from a farm, ranch, or
their natural habitats. Food establishments transform livestock and
agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. WHAT MAKES THIS SECTOR CRITICAL TO THE NATION, AND WHAT
POSSIBLE EFFECTS DOES IT HAVE ON STATES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES? The FA Sector underpins all
aspects of U.S. society and national security interests. From large-scale
commercial farms to local farm stands and farmer’s markets, the FA Sector is
essential to the U.S. economy and American way of life. The United States has
highly productive agricultural systems, a vigorous private agribusiness
sector, extensive FA infrastructure, and supportive public policies and
institutions that contribute to a dependable, affordable, safe, and diverse
food supply. A strong and secure FA Sector fortifies the nation’s safety,
prosperity, and well-being. The federal government works
with the private sector and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT)
partners to safeguard FA Sector production ability, technological advances,
and global reputation for safety. All levels of government share
responsibility for protecting access to food and preventing agricultural
production shortfalls. During the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, even minor
disruptions to the supply chain and availability of certain products left a
profound mark on the consciousness of the American consumer. These
disruptions highlighted what many agricultural producers already knew: how
important it is to build more resiliency and security into the FA Sector. The
lessons learned from the early days of the pandemic have spurred partners
around the country in both the public and private sectors and at all levels
of government into action to further strengthen the FA Sector. WHAT ARE THIS SECTOR’S KEY ASSETS AND
INTERCONNECTED/INTERDEPENDENT SYSTEMS (PHYSICAL OR CYBER)? The FA Sector is highly
interconnected with other critical infrastructure sectors. Trends or
incidents in transportation, water, distribution, energy supplies, and labor,
for example, can all have an impact on the FA Sector. FA relies heavily on the
security and resilience of U.S. supply chain and transportation systems. In
fact, agriculture is the largest user of the freight
transportation system in the United States, and the need for
transportation services will only continue to increase as agricultural
production, exports, incomes, trade, and world population grow. Beyond the
freight system, waterways remain the United States’ cleanest mode of domestic
agriculture distribution – just one example of FA Sector water dependence. Over the last few decades,
the FA Sector has become increasingly reliant upon the use and development of
technological and scientific advancements. Industrial farm machinery has
grown beyond traditional tractor and plow practices. Large- and medium-scale
farming operations now often rely on computer-assisted equipment, drones,
imagery systems, and advanced irrigation systems for their day-to-day
operations. More broadly, FA is also heavily influenced by research and
development advancements which have been essential in the realization of
stronger farm biosecurity, increased productivity, and continued competitive
advantage in global markets. Lastly, and most importantly,
the FA Sector relies on the individuals who work every day to ensure that the
sector is operational and productive. From family-run operations to
large-scale farming to laboratory technicians developing stronger seeds, the
people who are actively engaged in the FA Sector are its most important
asset. WHAT ARE THIS SECTOR’S DEPENDENCIES (PHYSICAL, CYBER,
GEOGRAPHIC, AND LOGICAL) AND INTERDEPENDENCIES WITH OTHER CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURES? FA constitutes a massive
system of critical infrastructure that, by nature, is heavily reliant on the
success of other critical infrastructures. Nearly every aspect of FA supports
and is supported by the other 15 sectors designated by Presidential Policy Directive-21. Several
examples of this include:
These examples are only a
small part of the FA Sector’s interaction and interdependence on other
critical infrastructure sectors. According to USDA’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (February 2022), there are 2,012,050 farms and ranches in the U.S. These
operations use different methodologies and practices based on location, size,
and production focus. This means that farmers, ranchers, and other producers
interact with U.S. critical infrastructure in diverse and wide-ranging ways.
All of which are incredibly important – especially at the local level. The Harlequin Produce farm grows a
wide variety of organic crops like these corn plants in Arlee, Montana
(Source: USDA NRCS Montana, June 2019). WHAT ARE THIS SECTOR’S CURRENT AND EMERGING
VULNERABILITIES, HAZARDS, RISKS, AND THREATS? Since the FA Sector is
interconnected and primarily composed of private and non-federal entities, a
broad range of international and domestic threats could exploit
vulnerabilities within this critical infrastructure sector. Motivation for
threat actors who may be targeting FA range across the spectrum:
economic/commercial exploitation, trade advantage, science and technology
intellectual property theft, and violent extremist ideologies. Some notable
vulnerabilities, hazards, and risks include:
HOW WOULD A HUMAN-CAUSED, NATURAL, OR TECHNOLOGICAL
DISASTER IMPACT THIS SECTOR’S PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY EFFORTS? National Security
Memorandum-16 (NSM-16) was issued specifically to strengthen
the security and resilience of United States food and agriculture. As noted
in NSM-16, any human-caused, natural, or technological disaster can have
major and long-lasting consequences for the FA Sector – especially if the
nation is not equipped to manage such events. If a CBRN agent were released
into agriculture products (whether deliberately or inadvertently), there
would be major economic and social implications involved. The first response
to a CBRN attack typically involves containment, decontamination, or depopulation
within the impacted areas, which would affect the economy in three major
ways. First, the implementation and execution of the response efforts require
personnel and technical resources. Second, monetary aid would have to be
distributed to compensate the affected stakeholders for any losses. Third,
the contaminated products would not be exported, resulting in major trade
loss for the nation. In addition to economic destabilization, the social
implications of disasters and disaster response, like the stigma associated
with the depopulation of livestock, are important impacts to consider as the
range of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery is considered. There are many processes in
FA systems, so the sector uses robust access and control measures to prevent
and mitigate the consequences of CBRN attacks. In addition, early warning
systems are also vital to this sector as they provide situational awareness
of potential threats that are circulating within a population. For example,
the Food and Emergency Response Network is an
integrated laboratory network that plays a central role in detecting threats
and providing early warning to ensure food safety and defense. Technological disasters are
also becoming an increasing problem as the FA Sector heavily depends on IT
for daily operational activities. For example, GPS technology is used for
precision agriculture and for the transportation and distribution of food and
agriculture products. Power outages, cyberattacks, or other technological
disruptions have the potential to adversely impact the sector. The National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber
Security Framework provides standards and guidelines across
the sector to ensure the detection and mitigation of cyberthreats. Fortunately, USDA, which
shares Sector Risk Management Agency duties and
responsibilities with the Department of Health and Human Services for FA,
also has significant experience in and resources for responding to,
recovering from, and mitigating potential FA disasters and emergencies. USDA serves as the
coordinator for Emergency Support Function (ESF) #11, which provides the
structure to facilitate federal support to states and federal-to-federal
support during disasters and emergencies when agriculture and natural
resources are impacted. This support helps feed people, ensure the safety of
certain food products, address animal and agricultural health issues, and
evaluate damage to natural and cultural resources and historic
properties. When it comes to hazards and
risks, such as potential outbreaks of foreign animal diseases, USDA’s Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) collaborates with stakeholders to
conduct surveillance activities that provide key information on foreign and
domestic animal diseases. APHIS laboratory services are carried out by
the National Veterinary Services Laboratories,
which provide diagnostics and training services, support on-the-ground
responses to animal health emergencies, participate in scientific
associations, and serve as a global reference laboratory for 14 diseases. It is also necessary to
mitigate threats and not just respond once the worst happens in order to
sustain the overall competitiveness of U.S. agriculture to maintain an
abundant food supply for people and livestock, to support the farmers,
ranchers, and workers who drive the FA Sector, and to sustain the vitality of
rural communities, rural and urban agriculture infrastructure, and
agricultural businesses. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture
supports the resilience of the FA Sector to biosecurity risks, and the many
other risks already mentioned through the Food and Agriculture Defense
Initiative Extension Disaster Education Network (FADI-EDEN) program. This initiative is made up of
three separate but critical networks. The first is EDEN,
which expands the Cooperative Extension System’s educational role with a
focus on FA before, during, and after a disaster, using an “all-hazards”
approach to enhance the nation’s ability to manage domestic incidents. The National Plant Diagnostic
Network (NPDN)
is focused on reducing the vulnerability of the United States food and
agricultural system to chemical or biological attack. The network coordinates
the development, implementation, and enhancement of diverse capabilities for
addressing threats to the nation’s agricultural economy and food supply. This
network’s main goal is to: produce educated and capable first responders,
provide accurate, reliable, and timely diagnostics and surveillance, and
supply useful, real-time data from innovative information and communication
systems. The third and final network
in this program is the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Like
the NPDN, the goal of the network is to provide early detection, rapid
response, and appropriate recovery support from an adverse animal health
event. Its activities supporting disease identification and surveillance
focus on identification of high-consequence pathogens, including those that
are transboundary/foreign animal diseases endemic to the U.S. as well as
newly emerging diseases. NSM-16 also assigned key
roles to USDA, HHS/FDA, DHS, and other federal partners in the ongoing effort
to protect the FA Sector. Together they will continue to integrate FA Sector
efforts to promote the security and resilience of the nation’s critical
infrastructure. Together, federal partners continue to look for how research
and development (R&D) of current and new capabilities meant to enhance the
security and resilience of the FA Sector can be accelerated and expanded. WHAT ELSE DO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND
RECOVERY PROFESSIONALS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SECTOR? This sector is not only
extremely complex and heterogeneous (e.g., consider the differences between a
tilapia farm, a seasonal vegetable farm, and a range-based cattle management
operation), but it is also predominantly privately owned. A resilient FA
Sector, therefore, largely depends on the overall involvement across private
industry, SLTT governments, and other stakeholders. Integration and
coordination within all levels of the FA community – not just at the federal
government level – are essential to building more unified preparedness,
response, and recovery efforts. One of the single best things
to do is to reach out and interact with EDEN. They not only offer a great
network of extension specialists to interact with and learn from but can
provide busy emergency managers with homeland security processes for disaster
planning, preparing, mitigating, responding, and recovering in a FA
context. These educational resources are available on their resource dashboard. Increased interaction,
communication, and information sharing across the sector are vital. They
supply situational awareness during an emergency by identifying
near-real-time vulnerabilities and threats that can bolster everyone’s
strategic planning. More specifically, they ease and enhance technical
assistance and risk management activities that reduce the overall
consequences of catastrophic events. Ultimately, not all
human-caused or natural disasters are the same. The varying degrees of impact
associated with any given incident and the various FA equities it may or may
not touch mean that preparedness, response, and recovery efforts will not
(and should not) look the same in every disaster. There is no
“one-size-fits-all” solution in FA. While that can be challenging when
thinking about solutions for the sector in general, it also points to the
importance of the inherent resilience that diverse and decentralized systems
have. Any solution across the preparedness, response, and recovery spectrum
that does not reinforce the already existing strengths of the sector is a
solution that should be reconsidered. This article was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Homeland Security
![]() Isaac Dietrich, Policy Analyst, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Homeland Security, National Security Division. Ben Dinsmore, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Homeland Security, National Security Division Bert Cramer, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Homeland Security, National Security Division Heather Allen, Chief, National Security Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Homeland Security, National Security Division. |
Black Emergency Managers
Association International Washington, D.C. |
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