Agriculture and National Security Act of 2026

This legislation mandates the Department of Agriculture to elevate national security alongside homeland security within the food and agriculture sector, recognizing its critical importance to the United States. It requires the Secretary to increase staff with security clearances and establishes a new Senior Advisor for National Security position to serve as the principal expert and interagency liaison. The Senior Advisor will coordinate national security activities across the Department and with external federal agencies, ensuring integration of national security concerns. The bill also enhances interagency coordination by authorizing the exchange of personnel between the Department of Agriculture and defense, national security, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies to improve information sharing and risk mitigation. Finally, the legislation requires the Secretary to submit biennial reports to Congress and the National Security Council. These reports must assess national security gaps and vulnerabilities in the food and agriculture sector, including foreign influence, data control, and supply chain disruptions, and propose actions and policy recommendations to address them.