On November 10, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the National Security Memorandum-16 (NSM-16), which aims to strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. food supply and agricultural systems. Additionally, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner of Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas, FDA will be involved in NSM-16 by engaging with federal partners, state and local governments, the private sector, and academia to further strengthen the security and resilience of the U.S. food system.
The White House statement announcing President Biden’s signing of NSM-16 highlights the ways in which the U.S. food and agriculture sector has, in recent years, faced a range of deliberate and naturally occurring threats to its security and resilience. Such threats include: