Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7) established the U.S. national policy for identification of and prioritization for protection of critical infrastructure. Signed by George W. Bush on December 17, 2003 it modified previous policy for a post-9/11 country.
It added agriculture to the list of industries for critical infrastructure protection in December 2003. HSPD-7 replaces the 1998 [[Presidential Decision Directive 63 (PDD-63) that omitted agriculture and food. These directives designate the physical systems that are vulnerable to terrorist attack and are essential for the minimal operation of the economy and the government. Federal agencies are to develop plans to prepare for and counter the threat. In terms of combating terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (WMD), agriculture was included in the National Security Council’s WMD preparedness group formed by Presidential Decision Directive 62 (PDD-62) in 1998. Agroterrorism preparedness is more directly addressed by HSPD-9.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Congressional Research Service document "Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition" by Jasper Womach.