Food and Agriculture Sector
The Food and Agriculture Sector encompasses the farms, businesses, facilities, systems, and supply chains responsible for producing and delivering food and agricultural products throughout the United States. The sector is essential to public health, food security, economic activity, and the daily lives of Americans, while also supporting significant domestic and international trade.
Overview
The sector extends from agricultural production through processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, distribution, retail, and food service. It includes farms and ranches, food and beverage manufacturers, processing facilities, warehouses, distribution centers, restaurants, grocery stores, and numerous supporting businesses and services.
Food and agriculture operations depend on water, energy, transportation, communications, information technology, chemicals, financial services, and complex supply chains. Because food products move through interconnected production and distribution systems, disruptions involving disease, contamination, severe weather, cyber incidents, transportation interruptions, or other hazards can affect availability and public confidence.
Protecting the Food and Agriculture Sector requires food safety and defense, cybersecurity, supply-chain resilience, disease prevention and response, emergency preparedness, and continuity of essential production and distribution. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services share Sector Risk Management Agency responsibilities for the Food and Agriculture Sector.
