Purdue's Partnership Boosts Food and Ag Security

By Andi Anderson

Purdue University has initiated a fresh collaboration with The Food and Agriculture – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Food and Ag-ISAC) to enhance cooperation between the industry and academia on various security issues affecting America’s food and agriculture sector.

This partnership, joined by Purdue and the Purdue Applied Research Institute (PARI), includes three other founding collaborators: Iowa State University of Science and Technology, the University of Nebraska, and Virginia Tech.

These universities were selected for their advanced research on key issues impacting the food and agriculture industry, such as animal and crop health, and their strong connections within the agriculture community. As the program evolves, more universities will be invited to participate.

Director of the Food and Ag-ISAC, Jonathan Braley, emphasized the importance of partnerships across industry, academia, and government to manage risks in the food and agriculture sector. Braley stated that the University Partners not only conduct relevant research but also facilitate sharing threat intelligence with smaller organizations.

This collaboration will grant industry access to the partner universities’ research, enabling companies to delve into potential risks affecting the sector. It also aims to provide insights on emerging technologies developed by the universities for agriculture, fostering innovative research in partnership with industry.

Chair of the Food and Ag-ISAC, Paul Hershberger, highlighted the value of connecting university research with industry needs and noted that this partnership would generate more practical research applicable within the industry.

The University Partner Program complements existing partnerships established by the Food and Ag-ISAC, including its Association Partnership Program, membership in the National Council of ISACs, and engagement with government agencies.

Both the Food and Ag-ISAC and the partner universities are eager to commence collaboration for the benefit of industry and academia.

Josh Detre, Director of the University Consortium for Health, Food, and Agricultural Resilience at PARI, expressed Purdue and PARI's excitement to be founding members of the Food and Ag-ISAC’s University Partnership Program. Detre emphasized the importance of protecting and strengthening the nation’s food supply chain through transformative cybersecurity solutions.

For further details about the Food and Ag-ISAC, visit www.foodandag-isac.org.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-fatcamera