Cyberbiosecurity: A New Perspective on Protecting U.S. Food and Agricultural System

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Information Security
• Food Systems Analysis

Background:

• The U.S. bioeconomy, encompassing food and agriculture, significantly impacts the national economy and employment.
• Increasing reliance on digital technologies in agriculture creates vulnerabilities in data and infrastructure security.
• Current discussions on cybersecurity for the U.S. food and agricultural system (cyber biosecurity) are fragmented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the critical need for enhanced cyber biosecurity in the U.S. bioeconomy.
• To analyze cyber biosecurity challenges across diverse food and agricultural production systems.
• To propose solutions for strengthening cyber biosecurity from production to the end user.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system concept as a framework.
• Examined cyber biosecurity across key agricultural sectors: dairy, food animals, row crops, fruits, vegetables, and environmental resources.
• Considered the entire supply chain, including transportation, suppliers, and retailers.

Main Results:

• Identified common and unique challenges and barriers to implementing effective cyber biosecurity.
• Highlighted the minimal existing protections across the food and agricultural system.
• Demonstrated the interconnectedness of cyber biosecurity from farm-level production to consumer access.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent requirement to develop and implement robust cyber biosecurity measures.
• Addressing cyber biosecurity is essential for the resilience and security of the U.S. bioeconomy.
• A comprehensive strategy is needed to integrate cyber biosecurity across all facets of the food and agricultural sectors.