Campaign Against Farm Bill’s Trojan Horse, the EATS Act, launched by Farmers and Ranchers at the Organization for Competitive Markets
Washington, D.C. – The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) today launched a campaign against the EATS Act, a proposed bill that would have a devastating impact on America’s farming and ranching families. The campaign launched with a major ad buy in Politico and will continue throughout the upcoming Farm Bill debate.
The EATS Act, or the so-called “Expanding Access to Sustainable Foods Act,” led by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, and Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, a Trojan Horse and attack on states’ rights, is set introduced in an attempt to include the measure in the upcoming Farm Bill. It’s a replica of the controversial “King Amendment” championed by former Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and is the biggest attack on states’ rights America’s rural communities have likely ever faced. The “King Amendment” failed to make it into the past two farm bills after bi-partisan opposition to it the egregious amendment. Now, legislators working for industrial agriculture interests have rebranded hoping most would not notice.
This legislation could wipe out hundreds of laws passed by state and local legislations that benefit family farms over international conglomerates, as well as those that support dairy farmers, baby food safety, and control the infestation of invasive pests.
“OCM is ready, willing, and able to roll up our sleeves and dig in to help prevent the EATS Act from being enacted in the upcoming Farm Bill,” said Taylor Haynes, president of OCM. “American family farmers will not stand for this attack on states’ rights that could land our farms under the control of the Chinese Government.
“The EATS Act is nothing but a Trojan Horse designed to put family farmers out of business and give multinational conglomerates like JBS and Chinese-owned Smithfield an even greater advantage than they already have.” said Mike Schultz, senior vice-president at OCM and founder of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association. “It’s a crying shame to see my Senator Roger Marshall leading this assault on producers and states’ rights.”
“If the King Amendment or EATS act or anything like it is added to the farm bill it will be devastating for dairy producers across America,” said Deborah Mills, chair of the National Dairy Producers Organization and a board member at OCM.
“We must prevent the EATS Act from being included in the upcoming Farm Bill and exhaust every resource available to keep this poison pill from becoming law,” said Jonathan Buttram, the president of the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association and OCM board Treasurer. “U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders Debbie Stabenow, Glenn Thompson, John Boozman, and David Scott should reject this egregious attack against state agriculture laws.”
The EAT’s Act is a gift to the Chinese and Brazil governments whose agribusiness conglomerates have lobbied to remove U.S. state and local protections for rural communities. If passed, it’ll also be a devastating blow to multigenerational American farmers and ranchers who’d be forced to compete against these foreign industrial operations opening in their locales.
Furthermore, the EATS Act would create a race to the bottom when it comes to food safety in our country, eliminating state laws protecting baby food and the safety of milk for our families.
OCM is committed to fighting against the EATS Act to ensure that America’s responsible farmers don’t get wiped out, our dairy farmers continue to benefit from state laws they’ve worked so hard to pass, and families are able to still purchase safe, affordable food.
We urge lawmakers to reject the EATS Act and work towards solutions that will truly benefit consumers and small businesses in the food industry.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2023
Contact: Marty Irby
202-821-5686
