Review – S 754 Introduced – Food & Ag Cybersecurity

Back in February Sen Cotton (R,AR) introduced S 754, the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025. The bill would require USDA to periodically assess cybersecurity threats to, and vulnerabilities in, the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector. Additionally, it would be required to conduct an annual cross-sector simulation exercise relating to a food-related emergency or disruption, and for other purposes. The bill would authorize $1 million per year through 2030 to fund such activities.

The bill is very similar to S 3661, that was introduced by Cotton in January of 2024. Changes were made to increase the influence of “the sector-specific ISAC” without actually naming the Food and Ag-ISAC. No actions were taken on that bill in the 118^th Congress. A similar bill, HR 1604, was introduced in the House this session.

Moving Forward

While Cotton is not a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration, one of his six cosponsors, Sen Slotkin (D,MI), is a member. This means that there may be sufficient influence to see the bill considered in Committee. The spending authorization included in the bill will be a major stumbling block for this bill in the 119^th Congress. I do not expect that, lacking a significant and successful cyberattack on food and agriculture critical infrastructure, that this bill will move forward out of Committee.

 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/s-754-introduced - subscription required.