Food Defense Tools, Resources and Training
Brochures, CDs and posters are available at your request by contacting FSIS at FoodDefense@usda.gov.
(Unless otherwise noted, the guidance documents and brochures below are in PDF.)
Food Defense Tools
Food Defense Preparedness and Recall Exercise Package (FD-PREP)
FD-PREP is a compilation of scenarios based on potential intentional food contamination events. FD-PREP is designed to help establishments test and validate their food defense and recall plans.
Food Defense Plan: Security Measures for Food Defense
Provides a template for industry to document measures to protect food and food production processes from intentional contamination.
Food Defense Plan: Security Measures for Food Defense for Siluriformes Fish Farmers and Processors
Provides a template for industry to document measures to protect Siluriformes fish and Siluriformes fish production processes from intentional contamination.
Food Defense Risk Mitigation Tool
Identifies countermeasures that companies could implement, as part of their food defense plan, to better protect their business, employees, and customers.
Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) (DHS)
Instructions for downloading the CSET desktop software tool, which guides users through a systematic process for assessing the cyber security posture of their industrial control system and enterprise information technology networks. A video tutorial is also available online.
Food Defense Plan Builder (FDA)
The Food Defense Plan Builder is a user-friendly software program designed to assist owners and operators of food facilities with developing personalized food defense plans for their facilities. This user-friendly tool harnesses existing FDA tools, guidance, and resources for food defense into one single application.
Food Emergency Response Plan Template (NASDA)
This template is designed to assist states with developing a food emergency response plan, utilizing the National Incident Management System principles.
Food Related Emergency Exercise Bundle (FREE-B) (FDA)
Designed with the intention of assisting government regulatory and public health agencies in assessing existing food emergency response plans, protocols and procedures that may be in place, or that they are in the process of revising or even developing. The FREE-B is designed to allow for multiple jurisdictions and organizations (medical community, private sector, law enforcement, first responder communities) to "play" with the host agency, or, quite simply, for an individual agency to test their own plans, protocols and procedures independently.
Insider Threat Awareness Toolkit (DoD)
Free online set of resources that focus on insider threat awareness as an essential component of a comprehensive security program.
Water Emergency Response Tool for Food Processors (Penn State Cooperative Extension)
This tool consists of a set of questions that can help food processors, food manufacturers, and other large-volume water users to be better prepared for a water shortage or water contamination emergency.
Food Defense Resources
Food Defense – Cyber Security – Ransomware
Identifying and Responding to Insider Threats
Keep America's Food Safe
This guidance is designed to assist transporters, warehouses, distributors, retailers, and restaurants with enhancing their security measures to protect the food supply from contamination due to criminal or terrorist acts.
Food Defense for In-Commerce Firms
Provides resources and information on food safety and food defense for in-commerce firms.
Food Defense Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and Processed Egg
Guidance for enhanced food defense security practices within the transportation industry.
Food Defense in FSIS-Regulated Establishments
Provides an overview of food defense and results from the annual food defense plan survey, and highlights tools and resources that are available to help your company implement a successful food defense program.
Food Defense in Meat and Poultry Slaughter and Processing Plants
Guidelines to assist establishments that slaughter and process meat and poultry, in identifying ways to strengthen food defense measures.
- View the Guidelines in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish
- View the Brochures in English, Chinese and Korean
Food Defense in Warehouse and Distribution Centers
Provides key information for developing a food defense plan in warehouse and distribution centers.
- View the Guidelines in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish
- View the Brochures in English, Chinese and Spanish
Food Defense Guidelines for Siluriformes Fish Production and Processing
A compilation of best practices specifically developed to assist federally-inspected fish facilities. ("Fish" is defined as "all fish of the order Siluriformes.")
Preventing Cargo Theft and Contamination of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products
Food Defense Guidance for Large Scale Events
This guidance is primarily designed to assist food service vendors and venue management that host special events (such as sporting events and conventions) at large venues with practical food defense measures.
This guide from the Food and Ag-ISAC provides a list of cost-effective cybersecurity practices that small- and medium-sized food and agriculture enterprises can implement to protect themselves from cyberattacks and secure their technology environments. It also outlines security practices for avoiding and responding to disruptive and costly ransomware attacks. For questions or comments, please contact membership@foodandag-isac.org.
Commercial Facilities: Food Defense Awareness and Outreach (FBI)
This brochure informs the commercial facilities sector, and their associated food service vendors, of the importance of implementing food defense, what indicators to look for, and what actions they can take to prevent an incident of intentional contamination at their venue.
Criminal Investigation Handbook for Agroterrorism (FDA, FBI, USDA)
This handbook is intended for law enforcement and food/agriculture regulatory agencies' investigative personnel to facilitate communication and coordination in the event of a potential or actual agroterrorism incident.
Cyber Resilience Review (DHS)
A no-cost, voluntary, non-technical assessment to evaluate an organization’s operational resilience and cybersecurity practices. The CRR may be conducted as a self-assessment or as an on-site assessment facilitated by DHS cybersecurity professionals. The CRR assesses enterprise programs and practices across a range of ten domains including risk management, incident management, service continuity, and others. The assessment is designed to measure existing organizational resilience as well as provide a gap analysis for improvement based on recognized best practices.
Cybersecurity Framework (NIST)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. The Framework consists of standards, guidelines, and practices to promote the protection of critical infrastructure and help owners and operators of critical infrastructure manage cybersecurity-related risk.
Guide for Security Practices in Transporting Agricultural and Food Commodities (USDA, AFTC, ATA)
This guide is a result of a voluntary cooperative effort of the USDA and the Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference (AFTC) of the American Trucking Associations (ATA). It provides voluntary guidance for enhanced security practices within the transportation industry.
Guidelines for the Disposal of Intentionally Adulterated Food Products and the Decontamination of Food Processing Facilities (FSIS, FDA, EPA)
Serves as a resource guide for FSIS and FDA field personnel located in District Offices and at food processing facilities.
“If You See Something, Say SomethingTM” (Food and Agriculture Government and Sector Coordinating Councils, to include DHS, USDA, and FDA)
Campaign engages the public in protecting our homeland through awareness–building, partnerships, and other outreach.
Trucking Counterterrorism Guide (TSA)
This guide is intended to provide an awareness of specific counterterrorism issues to help prevent, protect, and respond to a security incident in the trucking industry, with a special section on food defense for food transporters.
Food Defense Training
Employees FIRST (FDA)
An initiative that food industry managers can include in their ongoing employee food defense training programs. Employees FIRST educates front-line food industry workers from farm to table about the risk of intentional food contamination and the actions they can take to identify and reduce these risks.
Food Defense 101 (including ALERT) (FDA)
The food industry plays an integral part in protecting the nation’s food infrastructure. Food Defense 101 provides training in preparedness against an intentional attack against our food supply. The courses provide an understanding of and guidance for developing a Food Defense Plan(s) based on a common sense approach.
Insider Threats and General Security Awareness Training
Food Defense – Cyber Security – Phishing
This guidance provides basic practices for safeguarding and recovering from phishing attacks.
Food Defense – Cyber Security – Ransomware
This guidance provides basic practices for safeguarding and recovering from ransomware attacks.
Active Shooter, What You Can Do IS-907 (DHS)
A no-cost training course developed to provide the public with guidance on how to prepare for and respond to active shooter crisis situations.
Protecting Critical Infrastructure Against Insider Threats – IS-915 (DHS)
Free online course to provide guidance to critical infrastructure employees on how to identify and take action against insider threats.
Training and awareness films addressing insider threats (National Counterintelligence and Security Center)
Provides up-to-date training and awareness films addressing threats such as foreign recruitment of U.S. students, targeting of U.S. industry and corporate executives, insider threats, and the advanced technical threats of the 21st Century.
Workplace Security Awareness IS-906 (DHS)
This course provides guidance to individuals and organizations on how to improve the security in your workplace.
