Ricketts, Slotkin Lead Bipartisan Bill to Secure American Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) led 8 colleagues in introducing the Securing American Agriculture Act. The bipartisan, bicameral bill would secure critical supply chains and reduce America’s reliance on adversaries like Communist China. U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) introduced companion legislation in the House.
“Communist China’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chains poses a serious national security threat,” said Senator Ricketts. “Losing access to key inputs could reduce productivity, increase food prices, and undermine food security. My bill will bolster and protect these supply chains and reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries.”
“Food security is national security – and we need to treat threats to our food supply chain just like any other security risk,” said Senator Slotkin. “This legislation requires us to assess those risks so we can protect our food supply. Bottom line: We need to make sure America’s agriculture supply chain is secure and stays right here at home.”
“China has intentionally captured a significant market share of America’s agricultural inputs—which is vital to our food supply chain—ceding leverage to our top adversary,” said Representative Hinson.“Iowa farmers have told me firsthand that if China decides to shut off U.S. access to these critical inputs, our food production would be in jeopardy. I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill that exposes and counters China’s grip on agricultural inputs to strengthen domestic manufacturing and food security. Plain and simple: we should bring our agriculture supply chain home.”
“The bipartisan, bicameral Securing American Agriculture Act is a critical step forward in protecting our nation’s food supply and farmers from foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, who threaten our agricultural security,” said Representative Krishnamoorthi. “America’s farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we must ensure they have the resources and safeguards needed to compete on a level playing field while securing our nation’s agricultural supply chains.”
The bill was first covered by Fox News here. Bill text can be found here.
BACKGROUND:
American farmers produce the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. The use of agricultural inputs has further increased efficiency, improved resiliency to disease and drought, and reduced impacts on the environment. Among other supply chains, China has gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production and up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed.
Losing access to these key inputs could have major negative consequences on productivity, prices, and food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that the PRC’s domination of the amino acids market could potentially destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs and reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our food production supply chain.
Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
- Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains, current domestic production capacity for critical inputs, and current and potential bottlenecks in the food and agriculture supply chain.
- Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from the PRC and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.
The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO).