(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF, 92.7 KB) (MOU) that memorializes the relationship between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of War (DoW) for the purpose of implementing the National Farm Security Action Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB)—an initiative that has delivered measurable results in just seven months.
In July 2025, Secretary Rollins—alongside Secretary Hegseth, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem—launched the National Farm Security Action Plan, elevating American agriculture as a key element of national security for the first time in history.
Since that time, USDA has taken decisive action to secure farmland, protect critical supply chains, defend nutrition programs from fraud and foreign influence, strengthen research security, and ensure America First policies across USDA programs. These actions include:
- Publishing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on modernizing reporting requirements of foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA);
- Developing an online filing system for enhanced AFIDA reports to provide an alternative to the in-person filing of paper reports;
- Launching an online portal for farmers, ranchers, and the public to report possible false or failed reporting of foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land;
- Working across the federal government to designate critical fertilizer inputs as critical minerals;
- Terminating contractors and visiting scientists who have citizenship from countries of concern;
- Developing new research and development priorities that emphasize the importance of safeguarding American agriculture;
- Standardizing terms and conditions across all USDA grant and cooperative agreement programs; and
- Blocking taxpayer funding for solar panels from China and prohibiting BioPreferred® Certifications to entities located in countries of concern.
Building on this strong foundation, today’s MOU establishes a formal framework for USDA and DoW agencies to collaborate more closely to defend the nation’s food and agricultural systems, strengthen domestic productivity, and address emerging security threats to American agriculture.
The first action taken under the MOU launches a partnership between (PDF, 398 KB) the DoW Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and USDA’s Office of the Chief Scientist. Through this new partnership, DARPA and relevant USDA agencies will share information regarding security vulnerabilities in agriculture, partner to develop novel technological solutions to challenges facing American agriculture, and exchange personnel to accelerate innovation and protect the agricultural supply chain.
“President Trump is putting America First and that means ensuring our government is working as one to defend the safety, security, and resilience of our food supply and the land that sustains it,” said Secretary L. Brooke Rollins. “Over the past year, USDA has delivered real results under the National Farm Security Action Plan. Today’s MOU with Secretary Hegseth marks the next phase of that work, pairing USDA’s agricultural expertise with the Department of War’s innovation and security capabilities to confront threats head-on. I’m grateful for Secretary Hegseth’s leadership and partnership in supporting America’s farmers and ranchers.”
“In the face of growing threats from adversaries who seek to undermine our food supply and agricultural independence, the Department of War stands ready to defend America’s farms as vital national security assets. This Memorandum of Understanding with USDA, particularly through partnership with DARPA, will drive innovative solutions to protect our farmers and ranchers from cyber attacks, foreign intrusions, and biosecurity risks. Together, under the leadership of President Trump and collaboration with Secretary Rollins, we’re ensuring that American agriculture remains resilient, productive, and a cornerstone of our nation’s strength,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
During today’s signing, USDA also announced the creation of the Office of Research, Economic, and Science Security within the USDA Office of the Chief Scientist. This new office will be responsible for coordinating research security efforts across the entire USDA research enterprise—including both intramural and extramural activities. This action builds upon USDA’s efforts to implement National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) and other research security directives.
Together, these actions announced today underscore USDA’s continued commitment to treating agriculture as a cornerstone of national security and ensuring that America’s farms, food systems, and research institutions remain secure and resilient.
