Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026
Congress Proposes New National Security Advisor to Protect U.S. Food Supply and Farmland
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Mrs. Bice, would create a new Senior Advisor for National Security at the Department of Agriculture to help protect the nation's food supply from foreign threats.
- The Department of Agriculture would hire more staff with high-level security clearances so they can access secret information and work more closely with intelligence and defense agencies.
- The government would be required to track and report on specific risks, such as foreign companies buying American farmland, the theft of farming technology, and potential cyberattacks on food systems.
- The policy allows the Department of Agriculture to swap experts with agencies like the FBI or CIA to better identify and fix weaknesses in how the country grows and distributes food.
- Every two years, officials must give Congress a detailed report on vulnerabilities in the food chain, including shortages of seeds or fertilizer and the impact of artificial intelligence on farming.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
The bill directs USDA to increase the number of staff with security clearances and creates a new Senior Advisor for National Security position within the Office of the Secretary. It also allows personnel exchanges (detailees) between USDA and intelligence, defense, and law enforcement agencies. This means some USDA employees would take on new national security responsibilities, and the department would bring in new hires or temporary staff from other agencies.
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
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Article discusses the legislative vacuum in 2026 and highlights the Agriculture and National Security Act as a key measure to formalize USDA coordination with national security agencies like DARPA to identify food supply vulnerabilities and integrate biotechnology as a risk mitigation strategy.
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Rep. Stephanie Bice and Ro Khanna introduced H.R. 7153 to create a Senior Advisor for National Security at the USDA. The bill aims to protect the U.S. food supply from foreign adversaries by increasing security clearances for department staff and improving intelligence sharing on farmland buys.
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Axios reports on the intersection of agricultural policy and national defense. The Agriculture and National Security Act is highlighted as a tool to prevent the theft of farming technology and mitigate risks posed by foreign acquisitions of critical agricultural assets.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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