FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SIG

We facilitate trusted information sharing for companies who operate in, or who have business units that operate within the food and agriculture sector.

Our Food and Ag Special Intrest Group (SIG) helps members operating in the food and agriculture industry identify attacks, incidents, and threat indicators that they might have in common and share effective mitigation strategies. The SIG provides an ISAC-like capability to the industry, and is currently the only information sharing group that has an individual focus on food and agriculture security.

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The SIG meets twice a month via virtual meetings to share information directly with other SIG members and to engage in collaborative analysis, and also shares information through a dedicated enclave in our intelligence management platform, TruSTAR.

SIG Membership

Membership is open to any company who operates in the food and agriculture industry or has business units that serve the industry. Current members of the SIG include global food corporations, packaged goods, agricultural chemical, seed and agribusiness and food companies.

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The following Food and Ag SIG members serve on the IT-ISAC Board:

SIG Partnerships 

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Part of the IT-ISAC's mission is to serve as a force multiplier that enables collaboration and sharing of relevant, actionable cybeer threat information. As such, we recognize the importance of forming partnerships that strengthen this capability. The Food and Ag SIG has formed partnerships with the following organizations:

Early in 2020, the IT-ISAC entered into an agreement to collaborate with Auburn University, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Robert Norton, Professor of Veterinary Diseases, Biosecurity, and Public Health at Auburn University. IT-ISAC Executive Director Scott Algeier also co-authored pieces with Dr. Norton for Food Safety Magazine, which highlighted why cybersecurity in the food and agriculture industry is both a business concern and a national security concern. Dr. Norton has also collaborated with the IT-ISAC on a podcast about current cyber threats in the food and agriculture industry and how to mitigate these threats. He has participated in SIG meetings for focused discussion and collaboration.

In 2021, the IT-ISAC formed a partnership with Virginia Tech University and Dr. Susan Duncan, Associate Director of Virginia Tech's Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station. Dr. Duncan also collaborated with the IT-ISAC on a podcast about cyber threats in the food and agriculture industry and has participated in SIG meetings for focused discussion and collaboration.

The IT-ISAC shares IT-ISAC developed reports with DHS, but we do not share any member information unless the member gives us permission to do so. We also have access to indicators from DHS through the DHS Automated Indicator Sharing Program, and the Cyber Information Sharing and Collaboration Program. We receive AIS indicators from DHS directly into our intelligence management platform, TruSTAR. When a member company identifies information that would be valuable to share with DHS, they pass that information to our Operations Team, who passes the information to DHS. DHS is then able to share those indicators back out to their larger community through the AIS program.

Resources

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Food and Agriculture Are Critical Infrastructures but also Domains of Future War

IT-ISAC Food and Agriculture Special Interest Group Frequently Asked Questions

Food Defense is All About Protecting Yourself: Part 2

IT-ISAC Member Application

FireWall Chats: Episode 12, Pt. 1 - Susan Duncan, Ph.D., Robert Norton, Ph.D., and Jonathan Braley

For more information or to submit an application, please contact membership@it-isac.org.