Omaha — American technology and innovation have made farms, ranches, and the food processing industry more productive and efficient than ever before. But it also makes us more vulnerable to cyber and national security threats. More than 400 people from 30 states attended the FBI Omaha field office’s 2nd annual Agriculture Threats Symposium on Monday, Aug. 12.
Courtesy/FBI – Omaha — Gene Kowel, the Special Agent in Charge of Omaha’s FBI Field Office, said the bureau is monitoring four major threats to agriculture, which include criminal ransomware attacks, malware from foreign adversaries, the theft of data and innovation from China, and bioterrorism impacting food production and the water supply
Private sector, academia, industry, and government officials from the ag sector attended the symposium to learn how working together with the FBI will get ahead of the threat and make an impact on cyber adversaries.
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue acknowledged that it’s difficult to talk to farmers about cybersecurity because they’re mostly focused on their day-to-day farming operations and that’s why events like the Agriculture Threats Symposium are important for sharing information.
McHargue encouraged farmers & ranchers to visit the Nebraska Farm Bureau website www.nefb.org for more cybersecurity education.
