Securing our Agriculture and Food Act

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Health Affairs responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Securing our Agriculture and Food Act 2. Coordination of food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism (a) In general Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 311 528. Coordination of Department of Homeland Security efforts related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism (a) Program required The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs, shall carry out a program to coordinate the Department’s efforts related to defending the food, agriculture, and veterinary systems of the United States against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a high risk to homeland security. (b) Program elements The coordination program required by subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) Providing oversight and management of the Department’s responsibilities pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9–Defense of United States Agriculture and Food. (2) Providing oversight and integration of the Department’s activities related to veterinary public health, food defense, and agricultural security. (3) Leading the Department’s policy initiatives relating to food, animal, and agricultural incidents, and the impact of such incidents on animal and public health. (4) Leading the Department’s policy initiatives relating to overall domestic preparedness for and collective response to agricultural terrorism. (5) Coordinating with other Department components, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as appropriate, on activities related to food and agriculture security and screening procedures for domestic and imported products. (6) Coordinating with appropriate Federal departments and agencies. (7) Other activities as determined necessary by the Secretary. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed as altering or superseding the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to food and agriculture. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 527 the following new item: Sec. 528. Coordination of Department of Homeland Security efforts related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism. . March 16, 2017 Reported from the Committee on Homeland Security March 16, 2017 The Committees on Energy and Commerce Agriculture

Summary: Securing our Agriculture and Food Act (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to carry out a program to coordinate DHS efforts related to defending the food, agriculture, and veterinary systems of the United States against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a high risk to homeland security. Such program shall: provide oversight and management of DHS's responsibilities pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 - Defense of United States Agriculture and Food; provide oversight and integration of DHS activities related to veterinary public health, food defense, and agricultural security; lead DHS policy initiatives related to food, animal, and agricultural incidents and to overall domestic preparedness for, and collective response to, agricultural terrorism; coordinate with other DHS components on activities related to food and agriculture security and screening procedures for domestic and imported products; and coordinate with appropriate federal departments and agencies.