S 2866 Sponsor Added – Ag Cybersecurity

Last week two sponsors were added to S 2866, the Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2025. One, Sen Schiff (D,CA) is a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there may now be enough influence to see the bill considered in Committee. It also increases the chance that this language could be added to an agriculture authorization bill.

The bill would require the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to establish five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers (RACC) to carry out research, development, and education on agriculture cybersecurity. The bill would amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, adding a new §1473I. The bill would authorize $25 million in annual spending to support the Centers through 2030.

The money authorized in this bill continues to be a major drawback to its consideration in this Congress.

Review - S 2866 Introduced – Ag Cybersecurity

Earlier this month Sen Budd (R,NC) introduced S 2866, the Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2025. The bill would require the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to establish five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers (RACC) to carry out research, development, and education on agriculture cybersecurity. The bill would amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, adding a new §1473I. The bill would authorize $25 million in annual spending to support the Centers through 2030.

The bill is similar to similar to HR 4387, the Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act of 2023, that was introduced in the House in June of 2023 by Rep Nunn (R,LA). No action was taken on that bill in the 118^th Congress. Most of the differences are editorial (format and word changes) in nature with the exception of the addition of paragraph (b)(9) which would require that the described cybersecurity activities are specifically designed to prevent cyberattacks from the usual nation-state suspects.

Commentary

There is one major deficiency in this bill, it lacks any mention of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in agricultural systems. The RACCs should conduct vulnerability research, act as vulnerability disclosure coordinators for agricultural systems, and coordinate with CISA’s NCCIC in publishing advisories about reported vulnerabilities.

To support those vulnerability related efforts, I would add a new §1473I(b)(9):

“(9) conduct vulnerability research on agricultural control systems, act as a coordinator between researchers and vendors, and, in coordination with CISA’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, publish advisories describing discovered cybersecurity vulnerabilities in agricultural control systems.”

For more details about the provisions of this bill, including a discussion about the lack of definitions of cybersecurity terms, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/s-2866-introduced-ag-cybersecurity - subscription required.

Review - Bills Introduced – 9-18-25

With both the House and Senate in session and preparing to leave Washington for a week, there were 151 bills introduced. Three of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

HR 5450 Making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]

S 2866 A bill to amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program providing for the establishment of Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers, and for other purposes. Budd, Ted [Sen.-R-NC]

S 2882 A bill making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA] 

Space Geek Legislation

I would like to mention one bill under my limited Space Geek coverage in this blog:

S 2888 A bill to amend chapter 511 of title 51, United States Code, to modify the authority for space transportation infrastructure modernization grants, and for other purposes. Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118th, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-9-18-25 - subscription required.