Cortez Masto, Budd Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Cyberattacks Targeting American Agriculture

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the bipartisan Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act to enhance the cyberattack readiness, response, and recovery of agricultural infrastructure in Nevada and across the country. The legislation would prioritize cybersecurity preparedness by establishing a network of five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers to strengthen national security measures and protect the United States' food supply.

"Innovative farmers and ranchers in Nevada and across the country should be able to use new technology without fear of being targeted by a bad actor," said Senator Cortez Masto. "This bipartisan legislation will defend our agricultural sector from cyberattacks, promoting American national security and food security."

"America's adversaries are seeking to exploit agricultural technologies and jeopardize our national security. As North Carolina's top industry, I have seen the benefits that precision technology has on increasing agricultural output and boosting exports, but it takes just one bad actor to stop our producers from feeding America. I teamed up with Senator Cortez Masto to mitigate cyber vulnerabilities by developing defense technologies and training our workforce to eliminate threats targeting American agriculture," said Senator Budd.

"After witnessing the major challenges that Nevada state government agencies have to deal with this month, from the cyberattack that hit our state systems, we believe that whatever can be done to offer protection for farmers, ranchers and other rural communities and business enterprises will be very helpful," said Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President, Nevada Farm Bureau Federation.

"A major part of our national security is food security. As the use of new and innovative technologies increases within agriculture, so do cybersecurity threats and other vulnerabilities," said Martin Paris, Executive Director, Nevada Cattlemen's Association. "Currently, the U.S. food and agriculture sector lacks sufficient resources and expertise to guard against a wide range of cyber risks. The Nevada Cattlemen's Association appreciates this bipartisan effort to ensure ranchers and farmers nationwide have the tools they need to protect their livelihoods.

The bipartisan Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act will create a national network of five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers, which will:

• Allow for more efficient and consistent communication between each Cybersecurity Center and local agricultural industries - including farms and ranches.
• Create testbeds to refine technologies and conduct attack and defense exercises so cybersecurity solutions are well-tested before deployment.
• Provide training to ensure local workers can develop and install cyber defense mechanisms.
• Ensure mitigation efforts are focused on eliminating threats from foreign countries of concern, like the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act is endorsed by the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation and Nevada Cattlemen's Association.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Senator Cortez Masto is a strong supporter of Nevada's rural and agricultural communities. She is championing two bipartisan bills to protect rural water systems from natural disasters and cyber-attacks. She also led the fight to protect family farms and ranches from an unfair tax hike. She has also introduced bipartisan legislation to put rural Western communities on an equal footing when it comes to applying for critical infrastructure grants, and additional bipartisan legislation to provide relief for taxpayers in states that have issued state-level disaster declarations.

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