DHS must test food-system defenses against bioterrorism within four years
H.R. 9394 — Civil Preparedness for Agroterrorism Exercise Act of 2026 · Filed by Dale Strong (R-AL) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Jun 23, 2026 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a large-scale emergency exercise within four years to test the nation's preparedness for an agroterrorism attack—a terrorist act targeting agriculture and food systems. The exercise must simulate both foreign terrorists smuggling biological agents into the U.S. and domestic deployment of such agents, and must involve federal, state, local, tribal, and private-sector participants (farms, food processors, emergency responders). DHS must then report findings and recommend legislative improvements to Congress within 180 days of completing the exercise.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a direct mandate to DHS to conduct a specific emergency-response exercise and report findings. It is a straightforward public-safety and preparedness measure with no tax, subsidy, or regulatory carve-out.
What the text implies
- The exercise may reveal significant gaps in interagency coordination or private-sector readiness for agroterrorism response, potentially exposing vulnerabilities in food-supply security that could inform future terrorist planning.
- Mandatory participation by private food and agricultural operators may impose uncompensated costs on smaller farms and processors to participate in the exercise, though the bill does not explicitly address cost-sharing or reimbursement.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill mandates testing of emergency preparedness for a genuine national security threat (agroterrorism) and requires transparent reporting of findings and capability gaps to Congress. Citizens benefit from improved coordination and identified weaknesses in food-system defense, with no apparent restrictions on rights, remedies, or public protections.