Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens coordinated testing and planning to reduce agroterrorism and public-health risks—helping responders, health systems, and food businesses be better prepared—at the cost of added public and private expense and potential expansion of surveillance or restricted disclosure of sensitive findings.
Federal, State, local, Tribal, and private-sector responders will run coordinated exercises and update plans to test and improve prevention/response for agroterrorism within four years.
Hospitals, public health systems, and agricultural producers will benefit from exercises focused on biological-agent scenarios that help identify gaps in detection, containment, and food-supply protection, reducing public health risks.
Owners and operators of farms, food facilities, and related small businesses will get clearer guidance on response roles and resource needs through after-action findings and timelines, aiding preparedness and recovery planning.
Farmworkers, immigrant communities, and agricultural communities could face expanded surveillance or enforcement if terrorism-related definitions or tools are broadened in practice.
Detailed reporting requirements and use of specific biological scenarios could raise sensitive national-security concerns and lead to restricted public disclosure of findings.
Owners and operators in the private sector—especially small farms and food businesses—may incur costs and operational burdens to participate in exercises and to implement recommended changes.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DHS to run an agroterrorism prevention/response exercise within four years and submit an after-action report within 180 days of completion.
Official title: To require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an exercise related to agroterrorism, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 23, 2026 by Dale Strong · Last progress June 23, 2026
Requires the Department of Homeland Security to run a coordinated exercise within four years that tests prevention, response, recovery, and mitigation for agroterrorism threats to the agriculture and food sectors, including scenarios of unlawful transport and domestic release of biological agents. The exercise must involve federal, state, local, tribal, territorial authorities, private-sector owners/operators, emergency responders, and subject-matter experts, and DHS must deliver an after-action report within 180 days of completion with findings, implementation plans, and any recommended legislation.