Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Create an Intelligence Office in USDA

Earlier this week, a group of Representatives introduced the Agricultural Intelligence Measures Act. The bill, introduced by Arkansas Republican Rick Crawford and Ohio Republican Mike Turner, would establish an Office of Intelligence within the USDA. The lawmakers said the office would utilize the intelligence community to ensure the Secretary of Agriculture is fully informed of all imminent threats to American agriculture.

The highly specialized office would work to understand any efforts to steal U.S. agriculture knowledge and technology and develop or implement biological warfare attacks, cyber or clandestine operations, or other means of sabotaging and disrupting the agriculture industry.

 Crawford stated, "the complex supply chain and invaluable nature of the agriculture industry means it is particularly vulnerable." Adding that "Agriculture security is national security," calling the legislation a critical first step to safer food, farms and a safer future.

Turner said, the legislation “will help safeguard the agriculture industry” from foreign and domestic threats.

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