Rep. Dale Strong Raises Alarm on Agroterrorism, Urges Federal Action to Safeguard U.S. Agriculture
“It’s common sense to protect our food and fiber supply chain and prevent foreign adversaries from using our farmland as a base for operations”—Dale Strong
U.S. Representative Dale W. Strong (R-AL5), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, convened a hearing this week aimed at exposing risks to America’s agriculture and food supply.
The hearing, titled “Surveying the Threat of Agroterrorism: Perspectives on Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense,” featured expert testimony from Dr. Daniel K. Wims, President of Alabama A&M University; Dr. Cris Young, Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University; and other specialists. They described how malicious actors—foreign adversaries, terrorists or others—could exploit vulnerabilities in America’s food and livestock systems.
Witnesses pointed to a range of threats, including:
- The potential for hostile actors to smuggle pathogens into the U.S.
- Foreign governments acquiring farmland, sometimes near military bases, which may raise security concerns.
- Weaknesses in detection, reporting and response systems that could allow bio-threats to spread or cause economic and public health damage.
Rep. Strong emphasized that American agriculture, beyond its economic role, is a matter of national security.
“Our adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party, are well aware—an attack on America’s agriculture could severely disrupt our nation’s food supply chain, endanger public health, and cripple our economy.”
Representative Strong has introduced several bills meant to fortify the country’s defenses:
- H.R. 1438 — Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act prohibits purchase or lease of U.S. farmland by those tied to certain foreign governments (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea) and strengthens transparency around foreign ownership.
- H.R. 706 — DHS Biodetection Improvement Act requires DHS to review how it uses Department of Energy laboratories for biodetection research. The bill also mandates a strategic plan for coordinating research and development in that area.
- Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act will enhance oversight of DHS research, especially as it pertains to security and accountability.
Dr. Cris Young warned that in any future conflict, food and water may be just as strategic as missiles or submarines, stressing the need for proactive steps. Strong echoed that view, stressing that protecting the food system is not just an economic or agricultural priority but one of national security.
Strong called on relevant committees to move quickly on legislation.
“It’s common sense to protect our food and fiber supply chain and prevent foreign adversaries from using our farmland as a base for operations that threaten our homeland security,” he has said previously, a sentiment that was emphasized during this most recent hearing.
The hearing may be viewed on YouTube or below:
