WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following on the heels of last year‘s dramatic arrest of an alleged Chinese espionage ring dealing in farm seed trade secrets, the FBI is expanding its efforts targeting agricultural and biotech companies and farmers to join its Counterintelligence Strategic Partnership Program, in fighting trade secret thefts and agricultural espionage.

From Washington, the FBI has launched an aggressive campaign forming government partnerships with businesses, academia, think tanks, trade associations and others to fight the increasing theft of trade secrets. The new strategic partnerships are forming at the grassroots level from the agency’s 56 field offices.

In the Midwest, FBI agents from bureaus in Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indianapolis, Omaha and Chicago are introducing counter-espionage measures aimed at safeguarding intellectual property. Coordinating the program is Special Agent Robert Spelbrink, from the FBI’s Washington, D. C. field office.

The program, he said, "is very much intended to be a give-and-take type of interaction where the FBI provides security and threat information, and the partner organizations assist the FBI to better understand a particular industry or sector. "It’s all about identifying the research, information and technologies that are targeted by our adversaries, and establishing an ongoing dialogue."

The FBI warns of the following tactics used by espionage agents, several of which were uncovered in the alleged Chinese spy operation:

•Computer and electronic-device hacking; visitors seeking to connect electronic devices to your systems, such as USB drives that add malware, or downloading private company information. Do not leave laptops unattended.

•Be alert during on-site visits to your company; unauthorized photography or computer access; unauthorized entry into restricted areas; or visitors asking questions outside the scope of the visits.

•Reviewing of publicly available sources; are you sharing too much information?

•Obtaining your surplus equipment – thousands of pages of stored information may still reside in the memory of computers or other electronic devices.

•Employment solicitation; trying to hire your key employees.

•Theft or unauthorized photography of products at trade shows.

•Burglary, including copying of restricted documents where the original stays in-house.

•Dumpster diving – finding information in your company’s trash.

•Joint ventures and front companies.

•Unsolicited requests for information.

•Elicitation – developing a friendship with an employee with the intention of obtaining restricted data, information or products.

•Electronic surveillance – listening devices planted in hotel room, cell phone hacking.

As part of participating in the Strategic Partnership Program, the FBI wants companies to advise agents on what information and technologies related to agricultural and biotechnology industries foreign competitors could target.

Also, companies should consider: What are technology gaps of a foreign competitor? Are they lacking research and development, manufacturing or operational capability? How does your company collaborate with U.S. academic and government research entities? What agricultural research at your company is supported by federal grants? What research is considered proprietary?

The FBI warns that companies at risk of economic espionage or theft of trade secrets have a technology edge and/or employees with access to it, or any other propriety information that could become the target of a foreign company or government. An expert on intellectual property law and a law professor at the University of Illinois, Paul Heald, said old-fashioned espionage tactics are employed in the seed industry for a simple reason: "It’s the only way for thieves to actually get their hands on another seed company’s product and make serious profits."

Spelbrink will give a presentation on security issues facing the agricultural industry June 18 at the annual conference of the American Seed Trade Assoc. (ASTA) in Washington, D.C. The three-day conference (June 17-20) will be at the Washington Marriott Marquis hotel.

Companies or individuals wishing to obtain more information should visit the FBI’s website at www.fbi.gov under the section "Intellectual Property Protection." And the ASTA has prepared a 28-page PowerPoint presentation, "Intellectual Property Protection," prepared by Jane DeMarchi, its vice president of Government and Regulatory Affairs. It is available at www.amseed.org