In writing the foreword to Kristin King’s book, I set out to reframe cybersecurity in food and agriculture as more than a technical issue. For me, this is about leadership, accountability, and ultimately, public trust. The modern food system no longer runs solely on land, labor, and logistics — it runs on interconnected digital systems. That reality introduces vulnerabilities that directly affect food safety, food security, and national resilience. My contribution underscores a simple but urgent point: protecting these systems is not optional. It is essential to maintaining the trust people place in the food they consume every day.

The Challenge

At its core, this is a leadership failure — not a technical one. Time and again, I have seen organizations that already possess the data, the warnings, and even the procedures needed to prevent harm. Yet failures still occur. Because leaders normalize risk, delay action, or convince themselves that “nothing has gone wrong yet.” The gap is not knowledge. The gap is action. Through this foreword, I challenge the idea that compliance is enough. Leadership requires anticipating risk, acting on what we already know, and making decisions that prioritize prevention over reaction.

This work is rooted in a pattern observed across decades of food safety failures: meaningful investment often follows tragedy, not foresight. The enduring lesson is not about technological capability — it is about timing. Society consistently proves it is willing to invest heavily after catastrophe, yet hesitates when prevention requires foresight and commitment. This contribution is inspired by a simple but urgent question: why do we wait until something breaks before deciding it was worth protecting?

Impact & Outcomes

Through this contribution, I have helped elevate cybersecurity as a critical issue within the broader conversation about food safety and system integrity — shifting perception from an IT function to a food safety, food defense, and public health responsibility. It has also helped connect disciplines: bringing together professionals in food safety, cybersecurity, policy, and operations to recognize their shared role in protecting the food system. Most importantly, it has contributed to a growing awareness that resilience is not about how we respond after disruption — it is about how we prevent disruption from occurring in the first place.

“I have helped elevate cybersecurity as a critical issue within the broader conversation about food safety and system integrity — shifting perception from an IT function to a food safety, food defense, and public health responsibility.”

Darin Detwiler

Connection to CPS

This work is a direct extension of my role as a professor of regulatory affairs, leadership, and the global economics of food and agriculture. Through experiences like the International Field Studies Experience (INT6900), I’ve worked to connect students with emerging global risks, including cybersecurity in food systems. For me, teaching is not just about sharing knowledge — it is about preparing future leaders to act on what they know.

Connect with Darin on LinkedIn.