“I grow food, IT people do cybersecurity”: Addressing cybersecurity risks in Canada's agri-food sector

• Farmers perceive cybersecurity as a low priority, despite growing threats. • Experts call for increased education of the farming community around cybersecurity. • Cross-sectoral collaboration can build trust in best practices around agri-food cyber hygiene. This paper presents new research on the perceptions of cybersecurity threats among Canadian producers and food system experts. The study is timely due to the increasing adoption of digital agricultural technologies, which, despite their potential benefits, also introduce risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of digital systems. Notably, there has been a rise in ransomware and other cyber threats targeting farming operations. Our research, consisting of interviews with 29 farmers and 5 food system experts, along with a national survey of 167 producers, explores these threats and the associated cybersecurity landscape. The findings reveal that farmers generally view cybersecurity as a low priority, in stark contrast to experts who perceive significant and growing vulnerabilities. This paper concludes with recommendations to enhance cybersecurity practices at both the farm and systemic levels, highlighting the need for increased awareness and proactive measures.