About Us

TACTICAL SCIENCES NETWORK

VISION

Enhanced food security and biosecurity in U.S. agricultural and food systems because of increased coordination and cooperation among USDA NIFA’s tactical sciences programs.

MISSION

To grow and strengthen relationships, understanding, and collaboration among programs in the U.S. tactical sciences/plant and animal biosecurity system to improve response and service to our nation.

GOAL

To facilitate greater sharing of knowledge and technologies, interoperability of programs, resources, and coordination of technical expertise among components of the U.S. tactical sciences system.

USDA NIFA

United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) has provided funding for this project.
USDA NIFA provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences through an integrated approach that ensures that new knowledge and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. NIFA provides leadership to and administers agricultural biosecurity and tactical science program funding to its land-grant university partner institutions.

Expanse of farmland, fields, and trees below overcast skies
Bull with cowherd in field

EXPANDED GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of the Tactical Sciences Coordination Network (TSN) is to facilitate greater sharing of knowledge and technologies, interoperability of programs, resources, and coordination of technical expertise among components of the U.S. tactical sciences system. The long‐term goals are to develop a formal network and tactical sciences coordinated strategy that will result in the TSN becoming an integral part of the threat awareness, detection, response, and recovery continuum, serving to protect against and mitigate the impacts of plant and animal disease, pests, and other threat vectors. The following objectives will enable TSN to achieve its goals:

1. Convene members of the TSN and identify TSN guiding principles, shared governance, and related materials.

2. Develop a Tactical Sciences coordinated strategy that includes coordinated outreach, communications, and program activities.

Our strategy applies the ‘voice of the customer’ in developing trust relationships and shared strategy, exploring new ways to grow a collaborative nature, and finding more effective processes, with greater efficiency and accountability. The result is more visible programs with an enhanced value that is apparent to customers.