Washington State University researchers are helping lead a national effort to protect American agriculture from growing cyber threats, with a particular focus on safeguarding the crops, equipment and digital systems that support food production.
In a study published in Nature Food, researchers from across the country recommend establishing a national Agriculture Cybersecurity Consortium (ACC) to help farmers, agricultural businesses and researchers identify vulnerabilities, develop safeguards and strengthen the security of agricultural technologies.
The recommendation follows three regionally coordinated workshops and follow-up sessions involving more than 150 stakeholders and participants. The proposed consortium would connect land-grant universities with farms, cooperatives, agribusinesses, cybersecurity companies, government agencies, nonprofits and academic institutions.
“With increased digitization of agricultural data and increased adoption of AI into daily workflows, it has become all the more important to provide cybersecurity guarantees in agriculture,” said Ananth Kalyanaraman, professor and director of the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the AgAID AI Institute for Transforming Workforce & Decision Support.
Monowar Hasan, an assistant professor in the EECS school whose Cyber-Physical Systems Security Research Lab focuses on cybersecurity, said the workshops revealed that many agricultural stakeholders underestimate the risks, according to a press release.
“In our discussions with ag-tech vendors, growers and state agencies, we noted a lack of clear understanding of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and a lack of platforms and tools to conduct vulnerability assessments in digital agricultural systems,” Hasan said.
“This is primarily due to misconceptions about cyber threats and adversarial capabilities among agricultural stakeholders. Our collaborative interdisciplinary ag-cybersecurity consortium will help bridge this gap and improve the cybersecurity posture of the critical agricultural sector, which also has national security implications.”
The effort was coordinated by Iowa State University and included researchers from WSU, the University of California, Davis, Virginia Tech, North Carolina A&T University and IC-FOODS, an independent organization that connects food data through shared definitions and standards.
Protecting Crops and Agricultural Technology
Cybersecurity threats can affect the digital systems farmers increasingly rely on to manage crops, apply water and crop-protection products, monitor weather and operate machinery. As farms adopt more automated and connected technologies, vulnerabilities in equipment and networks could disrupt agricultural operations and undermine productivity.
The proposed ACC would focus on three priorities: multidisciplinary research and development, shared research infrastructure and testing facilities, and education and workforce development.
Research to Identify And Prevent Cyber Threats
The consortium would support research into technologies and practices that help agricultural producers detect, prevent and respond to cyberattacks. Priorities could include:
- Using AI and other emerging technologies to detect, prevent and respond to cyberattacks;
- Creating simpler, more efficient ways to verify users and devices;
- Finding security flaws and building safeguards into equipment and software;
- Developing realistic farm testing environments to assess risks and understand attackers’ capabilities;
- Exploring shared digital records that make unauthorized changes easier to detect; and
- Sharing cybersecurity best practices and identifying investments that reduce risk.
Land-grant universities and other research institutions would lead much of this work, supported by federal and state agencies and industry partners.
Testing Solutions in Real-World Agricultural Settings
The ACC could bring university researchers, industry experts and agricultural partners together to evaluate cybersecurity solutions using real equipment and farm environments.
These testing facilities would help researchers identify weaknesses before they disrupt agricultural operations. They could also support hands-on training for students and agricultural professionals, public demonstrations and the development of evidence-based policies and standards.
Land-grant universities, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service facilities, regional irrigation districts and industry groups could help develop and operate these sites with government and industry support.
Building a Cybersecurity-Ready Agricultural Workforce
Education and training would help make cybersecurity a routine part of agricultural management. The consortium would support students, growers, agricultural professionals and outside service providers through practical instruction and hands-on exercises.
Extension educators could provide farm-focused guidance on protecting equipment, networks and digital systems. Training exercises would help participants practice responding to cyberattacks while keeping agricultural operations running.
The ACC would also share training materials and threat information across regions, building on existing partnerships among universities, industry and government. The researchers said federal funding would be needed to support these efforts.
Why Cybersecurity Matters For Crops
The initiative has particular relevance in Washington, where agriculture is a multibillion-dollar industry that produces more than 300 crops. Protecting the technology behind crop production is increasingly important as growers seek ways to improve efficiency, manage costs and address persistent labor shortages.
“Washington is a leading producer of high-value agricultural commodities that play a critical role in national food security. As growers face persistent labor shortages and rising input costs, they are increasingly seeking smart, cybersecure agricultural technologies to improve efficiency, productivity and resilience,” said Lav Khot, a professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, director of AgWeatherNet and a WSU co-author of the article.
“Existing and emerging agricultural machine systems (e.g., autonomous tractors, spray drones, irrigation controllers) and regional infrastructure (e.g., weather sensing networks and regional water distribution systems) remain vulnerable to cyber threats, underscoring the need for stronger and more coordinated cybersecurity efforts across the agricultural ecosystem.
“This consortium provides a critical framework for aligning stakeholders and accelerating the development, education and adoption of secure and resilient agricultural technologies.”
For Washington growers, protecting these systems could help safeguard the technologies used to monitor crop conditions, manage irrigation, apply treatments and coordinate field operations. Stronger cybersecurity measures could also help reduce the risk of disruptions during critical stages of the growing season.
A National Network With Regional Expertise
Workshop participants recommended organizing the ACC around five regional centers connected through a national coordinating hub. Each center would collaborate with local partners to conduct research, develop testing facilities and provide education and workforce training tailored to regional agricultural needs.
The proposed structure builds on existing models, including the National Plant Diagnostic Network and USDA Climate Hubs, which connect expertise and resources across geographic regions.
Establishing and sustaining the consortium would require significant federal and state funding, along with a robust public-private partnership. Although the investment could be substantial, the researchers argue that the potential costs of leaving agricultural systems vulnerable to cyberattacks could be even greater.
