Cybersecurity

New Research Exposes Dairy Biosecurity Gaps as Alltech 2026 Outlook Forecasts Shift to Resilience

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:00:54 GMT

The global agri-food industry has reached a pivotal crossroads. According to the 2026 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook, the era of predictable, linear growth is over. While global feed production rose to 1.44 billion metric tons in 2025 — a 2.9% year-on-year increase — the report notes “the defining characteristic of 2025 was, therefore, not volume alone, but resilience under pressure.”

For the dairy sector, this global volatility is hitting home in a specific, high-stakes way: biosecurity.

A Global Shift: From Volume to Resilience

The Alltech report highlights while North American feed tonnage contracted slightly (0.7%), the dairy sector remained a bright spot, with demand for dairy feed increasing by 0.9%. However, this growth is being tested by permanent influences on profit and loss — most notably, endemic disease.

“Major animal disease outbreaks are no longer isolated or easy to eradicate; they are endemic challenges that can dictate supply chain economics and international trade flows,” the Alltech report states.

As a result, the industry is shifting its focus: “Success will increasingly be defined not by producing more, but by producing profitable, resilient volume.”

The Vulnerability Gap: Farm Journal Research

While the global strategy pivots toward trade resilience and regional zoning, recent Farm Journal research presented at the 2025 Milk Business Conference in Las Vegas, Nev., exposes a critical weakness at the farm level.

The data suggest there is a long way to go. While 68% of dairy farmers with at least 250 cows reported having a biosecurity plan, 34% admitted they do not review those plans regularly. Furthermore, the research identified physical security gaps that could prove costly: More than 20% of surveyed dairies neglected to secure access to barns, and 38% failed to limit access to areas where feed is stored.

This is a notable vulnerability due to the possible exposure to birds and other wildlife in addition to human contact. Visitor access monitoring is also a blind spot for 16% of producers, and only 33% of producers use camera surveillance to oversee their facilities.

“We need biosecurity efforts to be more impactful at the ground level. Not only to prevent major outbreaks, but to even protect employees and families from the things being taken home every day,” says Kirk Ramsey, Neogen’s professional services veterinarian who reviewed the biosecurity survey results.

(Farm Journal)

The Screwworm Warning: A New Kind of Threat

The urgency for enhanced farm-level security is underscored by the sudden resurgence of biological threats once thought to be under control. The Alltech report highlights the 2025 outbreak of New World screwworm (NWS) in the U.S.-Mexico corridor as a primary disruptor. Last week, a case of NWS was confirmed in South Texas near La Pryor, according to USDA . The sample from a 3-week-old calf umbilical lesion was tested at USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, lowa. USDA reports personnel have been activated on the ground. This vector-borne threat caught health authorities off-guard and triggered an immediate halt to live livestock imports, sending shockwaves through the North American cattle cycle. For the dairy producer, the NWS crisis serves as a stark reminder that a biosecurity plan must be dynamic enough to address not just “the usual suspects,” but also the sudden return of legacy pathogens that can shut down international borders overnight.

Expert Insight: Closing the Implementation Gap

Derek Nolan, dairy education and extension specialist with the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, points to a specific area of vulnerability: animal movement.

“Before you purchase animals, have a vet-to-vet conversation,” Nolan advises. “Inquire about animal testing and herd-level tests ... review physical health, milk quality and past health records.”

This expert advice aligns with the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) perspective, which notes that while the industry has made strides through programs like FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management), enhanced biosecurity measures have been instrumental in managing outbreaks and must be continuously updated to meet new threats like H5N1.

2026: Data as a Defense

As we look toward 2026, the ability to prove a farm is “disease-free” will be the difference between maintaining market access and facing devastating losses. The Alltech report suggests technology will be the primary tool for this defense, noting “data has become the sector’s most valuable non-biological asset, providing actionable insights that ... effectively optimize the producer’s entire value chain.”

Producers who use AI and real-time monitoring to defend their herds against biological threats will be the ones who thrive in an environment where just-in-time efficiency has been replaced by just-in-case resilience.

The Path Forward

To align with the global shift toward a more secure supply chain, the 2026 outlook suggests three non-negotiables:

Risk Management: Moving biosecurity from a to-do list to a core business strategy.
Operational Efficiency: Using data to identify health risks before they become outbreaks.
Resilience as a Differentiator: Recognizing that, as Alltech puts it, “the ability to supply protein profitably is being tested.”

The era of dairy farming as a purely volume-driven enterprise is fading. In its place is a high-stakes landscape where the most successful producers are those who treat biosecurity as a strategic asset rather than a regulatory burden. As the Alltech and Farm Journal data suggests, the industry’s new normal is defined by a shift from a culture of compliance to a culture of competitive resilience. By closing the physical and digital gaps in their operations today, producers are doing more than just protecting their herds from the next outbreak — they are securing their standing in a global protein market that now demands proof of protection as the price of admission.

Cyber Attacks Are the New Threat Creeping Onto Dairy Farms

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 18:11:14 GMT

Dairy farmers know firsthand just how quickly risks can impact their bottom line. Now, a new kind of risk is quietly moving onto farms: cyberattacks. This shift from physical to digital threats has left many farmers wondering where to turn for protection.

At this year’s MILK Business Conference, Andrew Rose, ag futurist with the Bioeconomy Information Sharing and Analysis Center (BIO-ISAC,) walked producers through what that evolving threat landscape looks like. He’s spent the past decade focused on protecting agriculture from cybercriminals, first as a volunteer, now as a specialist.

“Everything is a battlefield — cybersecurity, intrusions, misinformation campaigns, corporate espionage — this is white hot right now, whether it’s a foreign adversary wanting to acquire our assets or domestic going after another domestic one,” Rose says. “This is something that is not getting the attention I think it really deserves, but something to keep in the back of your mind.”

Awareness, mitigation and response guide how he approaches these threats, and he believes agriculture can strengthen its defenses by understanding the risks, preparing for disruptions before they hit and building a network of people who know how to react when something goes wrong.

The New Face of Threats

Today, threats don’t just come in the form of market swings or equipment failures. Warfare has gone digital and invisible.

“When we think about warfare as Americans, we think about bullets and bombs and boots on the ground,” Rose says.

But who is attacking farmers and what do they want? Why target agriculture at all? According to Rose, it’s nation-states like Russia, North Korea and China. They are actively probing systems for money, information and long-term strategic advantage, and agriculture offers both the data and the leverage they are looking for.

“Russia and North Korea, they want money. North Korea targets a lot of the Bitcoin wallets, but they’re also very good at putting ransomware out there,” he explains. “China has a different motivation. What they want is information. Whether that information is useful today or not is immaterial, but it might be useful in the future.”

Threats Close to Home

Rose also warns that animal activist groups continue to evolve their tactics, moving beyond on-farm trespassing or undercover videos. Some are now probing digital systems, spreading misinformation online or seeking ways to disrupt operations. Their goal might differ from foreign adversaries, but the impact can be just as damaging when they manipulate data or target equipment vulnerabilities.

“A lot of folks don’t really weigh how devastating it can be if you have an employee. That employee may inadvertently do something, or an outsider comes and says: ‘Hey, I will pay you if you just give me this login,’” Rose says.

Animal activism and information campaigns also fall into the “gray zone” of threats. Rose points to raw milk campaigns, noting that “there were certain open doors, open windows in the dairy pasteurization equipment that a bad actor could get into and manipulate temperature controls, but the readout would be fine, and that really got us worried.”

While activists might have ideological goals, the practical impact on farms can be real.

Dairy operations increasingly rely on digital tools like herd management software, milking equipment, feed programs and financial systems, but in the rush for efficiency, security is often an afterthought.

“All we thought about was the flow of information and keeping things as quick as possible,” Rose says. “They’re not thinking about secure by design.”

Practical Steps for Farms

Rose says one of the easiest defenses is right in your pocket.

“Restart your phone every day,” he recommends. “Why? Because your phone has temporary memory, and that’s where that malware sits, because the scans that your software does doesn’t scan the temporary memory. By resetting your phone every day you wipe that out.”

He adds that a daily reboot helps your phone load security patches more quickly.

“There are so many different exploits that happen every day, these zero-day exploits,” Rose adds. “If something happens and your phone company finds it, they’ll put a fix in there, but that fix might not be triggered until you have an automatic restart. If you restart your phone every day, that goes in there.”

Passwords matter too.

“Don’t use your same password twice. And it’s not because someone is going to figure out your password,” he says. “They’re going to hack into the company where your password is stored, and they’re going to take that and cross apply it across platforms.”

Beyond personal devices, Rose encourages farmers to take inventory of what on their operation is connected to the internet.

“You guys have got a lot of tech out there on the farms,” he says. “Know what’s connected to the internet. Know what the passwords are. It’s pretty simple to do an inventory like that.”

He also stresses the importance of protecting backups and insurance documents.

“When a bad guy gets into your system, the first thing they do is they go and they shred your backups, and the second thing they do is look for insurance documents, because they want to know how much your insurance company is going to pay for a ransomware attack,” Rose says.

Keeping those documents offline, he says, can save time and prevent added damage.

Planning ahead is essential as farms adopt more digital tools. Rose urges farmers to ask hard questions before bringing new equipment or software onto the operation.

“What if our computers are bricked? What if we have no access to the internet? What if we no longer have GPS?” he asks.

He recommends involving the entire team in those conversations, not just the manager. That includes the veterinarian, banker, co-op and even local law enforcement.

“I know that sometimes people get a little edgy about bringing law enforcement in,” Rose says. “It’s a lot better to know law enforcement before something happens than after it happens. Make a friend before you need it.”

Preparation is the Best Protection

For dairy farmers, the move from physical to digital risk can feel unfamiliar, but the path forward is not. Rose reminds producers that small habits, thoughtful planning and strong community ties can go a long way in keeping their information and equipment safe.

Cybersecurity does not require fear. It requires awareness. And as farms continue to adopt new tools and technology, the producers who take the time to prepare today will be the ones who stay resilient tomorrow.

Multiple DFA Manufacturing Plants Experienced Ransomware Attack

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:27:40 GMT

In recent news, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the largest dairy cooperative in the U.S., revealed that multiple manufacturing plants within their network experienced a ransomware attack.

“We immediately contained the threat and were swiftly able to get impacted facilities operational to continue receiving and processing milk,” DFA shared in a statement to Dairy Herd Management. “We are working diligently with our IT professionals and cybersecurity experts toward full recovery as quickly and safely as possible.”

The Growing Role of Technology in Farming
With the integration of digital technologies in dairy farming, cybersecurity has become an increasingly crucial aspect of farm management. Modern dairy farms now use interconnected systems to perform tasks such as milking, feeding and monitoring animal health. The same can be said with dairy companies of all sizes, shapes and purposes. These technological advancements to dairies and companies also increase the sector’s vulnerability to cyberattacks.

The Threat of Ransomware
Ransomware attacks, like the one experienced by DFA, pose significant threats to farm operations. These attacks can disrupt activities that are critical for animal welfare and can lead to operational downtime and substantial financial losses. Ransomware locks organizations out of their systems or encrypts crucial data, demanding payment for access. Such attacks have the potential to devastate farm operations, highlighting the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures.

Preparing for the Future
To safeguard against these threats, implementing comprehensive cybersecurity strategies is essential for dairy farms. Without proper protection, farms risk data breaches, financial theft and catastrophic operational disruptions. It is crucial for farms to regularly update their security protocols, train staff to recognize threats and invest in advanced cybersecurity solutions.

As farms become increasingly dependent on digital technology, safeguarding these systems becomes paramount. The recent incident with DFA serves as a stark reminder of the existing vulnerabilities and the critical nature of being prepared. The need for cybersecurity in agriculture is more pressing than ever. Dairy farms must remain vigilant, proactive and ready to face the challenges that accompany the digital transformation of the industry.

The integration of technology in dairy farming promises increased efficiency and productivity, yet it also requires a steadfast commitment to cybersecurity. By learning from incidents like DFA’s recent ransomware attack, farms can better prepare and protect themselves, ensuring a safer and more resilient future for the industry.

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Fraud Alert: Don’t Fall Victim to These Common Schemes

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 20:38:10 GMT

Farmers routinely handle high-dollar transactions — and the nature of the payments, often through unsecure methods, leaves them susceptible to foul play.

Those unsecure methods include mailing personal checks and buying parts from an unknown online vendor. However, one of the biggest fraud trends Angela Lewis, deposit control manager at Southern Bank in Chillicothe, Mo., is seeing involves how many operations handle employee payroll.

“We see employees commit fraud, especially through written checks from employers,” Lewis says. “Employees will steal the account number and routing number off the bottom of checks and create fake checks.”

Mail fraud and check washing is another tactic that can quickly drain thousands of dollars from an account.

“If you have mailed a check that was paid, but the recipient never received it, you may have been a victim of check washing. In fact, check washing is the No. 1 form of fraud we are seeing with our business customers right now,” Lewis says.

Check washing typically involves a check being stolen from a mailbox and then a scammer “washes” the check in chemicals to remove the ink and/or uses a copier to print fake copies of the check. Other criminals can then purchase the fake checks and deposit them.

To protect your operation from scammers, Lewis shares these tips:

Use online banking. “As a business, you should enroll in and use online banking daily to review copies of all checks issued to ensure they were not altered,” she says. “Also make sure to review the backs of checks to verify the endorsement information matches your intended payee.”
Follow up. If you are going to mail checks, make it a habit to follow up with the people or businesses to make sure they receive it.
Switch to online payment options. Your financial institution likely offers e-checks, ACH automatic drafts or other online bill pay options.
Confirm the goods. When it comes to making purchases from an unknown source, such as on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, Lewis shares it’s a good idea to meet the seller in person and verify the goods prior to sending the money. “Newer scams we’re seeing involve the use of payment apps, such as Cash App, Paypal, Venmo and Zelle, and social engineering to convince people to send money for fraudulent goods or services or to send money to fraudulent accounts,” Lewis says. “Once the funds have been sent, they are difficult to recover.”

If you do fall victim to a scam, there are a number of organizations, in addition to your bank, available to help. For example, several states have a division within their department of agriculture dedicated to this type of crime.

According to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s public information officer Kim Doddridge, the organization’s agriculture crimes unit is responsible for tracking and investigating crimes in Tennessee related to agriculture, forestry and wildland arson, animal health and agribusinesses. While many of their cases are related to livestock cruelty, arson and equipment theft, Doddridge shares they have dealt with reports of cattle purchasing scams, cattle selling scams and email scams.

In addition, USDA’s Office of the Inspector General has a fraud hotline to report violations of laws and regulations in regard to USDA programs. These can be reported anonymously either online or by phone.

USDA Allegedly Impacted by Russian-Speaking Hackers

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:04:38 GMT

USDA is investigating a possible data breach related to a broader hack of U.S. government agencies.

Officials in the Ag department say the data breach allegedly involves a contractor and impacts a small number of workers—roughly 30, which is a small pool considering USDA employees 100,000 people.

According to USDA, Russian-speaking hackers are the likely suspects and the department will contact and provide support to anyone affected.

The Office of Personnel Management and two organizations within the Department of Energy also were apparently targeted or breached.