When most of us think about national security, we picture borders, defense systems or cybersecurity. Rarely do we picture a corn field. But according to Meghan Jackson, that's exactly where a lot of the real risk—and the real solutions—live.
Jackson leads food, agriculture and environment security efforts at the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska. NSRI is one of only 15 University Affiliated Research Centers designated by the U.S. Department of War, connecting university research and expertise with the federal government to address critical national security challenges. Sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command, NSRI is a trusted parter to the DOW, conducting research and development across two national security missions: strategic deterrence and countering weapons of mass destruction.
For a recent episode of our podcast, I sat down with Meghan to unpack why food and agriculture were designated by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration (CISA) as one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors and, in her view, the most interconnected of them all. Agriculture touches chemicals, energy, water, transportation and cyber systems all at once, which means a disruption anywhere in that chain can ripple far beyond the field.
Threats come in three kinds: intentional, accidental, and natural
Meghan's background spans some of the country's most sensitive biosecurity work, including time at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.
Source : nebraska.edu