The White House
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Today President Joe Biden signed National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16) to strengthen the security and resilience of United States food and agriculture. The National Security Memorandum builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing work to ensure that American families have access to safe, affordable food, that America’s producers are able to get their goods to market, and that the American food and agricultural system is better prepared for threats that may harm the health of crops and livestock and cause shocks to the cost or availability of food.
Agriculture, food, and related industries contribute about five percent of the United States gross domestic product (GDP), representing over one trillion dollars per year and more than 19 million jobs. Inherently vital to American life, wellness, health, and economy, this critical food and agriculture sector has, in recent years, faced a range of deliberate and naturally occurring threats to its security and resilience:
Food and agriculture systems and supply chains are designated as critical infrastructure, primarily owned and operated by private sector and non-Federal entities, and can be vulnerable to disruption and damage from domestic and global threats. To strengthen the security and resilience of this vital sector, President Biden approved NSM-16. NSM-16 supersedes Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 (Defense of United States Agriculture and Food) (HSPD-9), issued in 2004, and provides presidential guidance to (i) identify and assess the threats of greatest consequence; (ii) strengthen partnerships to enhance the resilience of the workforce; and coordinating our government to act more efficiently and effectively, and (iii) enhance preparedness and response. This work builds upon ongoing actions by the Administration, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to strengthen the resilience of U.S. food and agriculture supply chains.
Identify and Assess the Threats of Greatest Consequence: The NSM outlines a process for the Federal Government to identify and assess threats of greatest consequence to the food and agriculture sector. This includes:
Strengthen Partnerships to Enhance the Resilience of the Workforce: The private sector owns and operates the majority of the food and agriculture sector and, in conjunction with SLTT officials, is generally the first line of response when an incident happens. This NSM sets out to strengthen the resilience of the food and agriculture workforce, who are essential critical infrastructure workers, by:
Enhance Preparedness and Response: This NSM positions the Federal Government to develop, maintain, assess, enhance, and encourage the adoption of systems and activities that will harden the Nation’s ability to prepare and respond to an agricultural incident by:
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The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
