Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens U.S. food‑system security and government coordination against threats to supply and technology, at the cost of higher compliance and administrative expenses, greater centralization of USDA priorities, and increased privacy and foreign‑investment restrictions.
All Americans (consumers and taxpayers) face a lower risk of major disruptions to food availability and safety because the bill strengthens identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities across the food supply and supply chain.
Farmers, agricultural firms, and rural communities gain a dedicated Assistant Secretary plus defense/intelligence/homeland-security detailees, improving coordination, information sharing, and response to threats such as supply‑chain disruption and foreign influence.
Scientists, researchers and agricultural businesses benefit from coordinated efforts to secure emerging technologies (biotech, AI, drones, cybersecurity) and to protect agricultural research and intellectual property from foreign exploitation.
Farmers and food producers will likely face higher compliance costs from new security measures, technology controls, and potentially stricter foreign‑investment reviews.
Agricultural businesses and individuals may experience expanded information sharing with intelligence and law‑enforcement partners, raising privacy and civil‑liberty concerns.
USDA decision‑making and resources could shift toward defense‑oriented research and centralized oversight, potentially slowing approvals and reducing emphasis on traditional farm support or consumer programs.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates an Assistant Secretary for National Security at USDA to coordinate detection and mitigation of food and agriculture security vulnerabilities and require biennial reports to Congress and the NSC.
Official title: Improve connections between the Department of Agriculture and national and homeland security agencies, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 3, 2025 by Alejandro Padilla · Last progress September 3, 2025
Creates a new Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for National Security in the Office of the Secretary and requires the Department of Agriculture to fill that position within 180 days. The Assistant Secretary will advise USDA leadership, coordinate the Department’s national-security activities (including counterintelligence, foreign investment screening, and Defense Production Act implementation), serve as a primary liaison with other federal national-security bodies, and lead efforts to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in food and agriculture involving biotechnology, AI, drones, cybersecurity, and supply chains. The bill also authorizes detailees from defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, and requires the USDA to begin biennial reports to Congress and the National Security Council within 180 days assessing gaps, actions taken, recommendations, and resource needs.