Systematic Mapping of Cross-border Threats to Enhance U.S. Agricultural Security

Issue:

Preventing biosecurity threats and ensuring a stable food supply is crucial for promoting economic stability, international trade, and national security. A great deal of research has addressed critical food and agricultural defense/security issues and attracted interest across a broad array of public and private institutions. Unfortunately, the breadth of the issues, and fluctuations in topical interest and funding levels, all contribute to an incomplete mapping of the body of research in these areas.

Objective:

To address these challenges, the team is taking a systematic approach to analyzing threats to U.S. agriculture. Objectives are:

1. Systematically map information on food and agricultural security threats, vulnerabilities, and potential consequences through identification of factors affecting agriculture security, cross-border threats, and livestock impacts;
2. Develop a series of conferences designed to review the information gathered, and to produce conference proceedings that present key findings and identify possible gaps.

Value Proposition:

By synthesizing existing knowledge through systematic mapping, the aim is to identify knowledge gaps, prioritize research areas, and promote collaboration on food and agricultural defense and national security.  The products from the research, including a systematic mapping database, research paper, and conference proceedings will contribute to knowledge dissemination, facilitate collaboration, and serve as valuable references for further research and implementation.