Aspiring farmers, already facing an uphill battle in entering an industry dominated by corporate giants, will find their dreams further out of reach if the EATS Act becomes law. By rendering state laws irrelevant, this legislation creates a playground for profit-driven foreign interests to swoop in and exert control over our precious food production, making us reliant on corporations that may prioritize their bottom line over the well-being of our nation.

The Agriculture of America radio show, hosted by Jesse Allen, featured a discussion on the EATS Act (H.R.4417/S.2019) from one of the legislation's opponents; Competitive Markets Action (CMA). CMA President and CEO, Marty Irby, provides a clear and thorough explanation of the bill and why the legislation is a looming threat for American famers and ranchers, states’ rights, and consumers nationwide.

If passed, the EATS Act would signify a forfeiture of our loyalty to American farmers in favor of profit-driven foreign interests. By endorsing the EATS Act and allowing it to creep into the Farm Bill, we risk forsaking these Americans and the values we hold dear. We risk ceding control of our homeland’s food production — a matter of national security in its own right — to foreign corporations.

Passage of the EATS Act threatens to dismantle the foundations of our dairy industry. State laws that have stood as bulwarks, ensuring milk quality and label transparency, are now in the crosshairs. Consider 'sell-by' date labeling laws, such as those passed at the state level. Those dates aren’t just letters and numbers on a carton - they're a lifeline of information about product freshness and safety. The EATS Act seeks to sever this lifeline, leaving consumers adrift and eroding trust in our industry.

In a shocking display of either ignorance, insensitivity, or purposeful antisemitism, Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa has introduced a piece of legislation known as the “EATS Act,” which harms the Jewish community. Her bill, which she’s threatening to add to the 2023 Farm Bill, does what Jewish people today never thought we’d have to deal with in our country: an elimination of the hard-fought state-level Kosher laws that our community fought to enact for decades. Her bill would invalidate all of them in one fell swoop.

Confronting China and protecting American industries from China’s globalist ambitions involved opposing legislation that strengthens China’s grip on our economic interests. This is why I’m raising a red flag on the risks associated with the so-called Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019, led by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).

It is critical—as a nation—that we pay attention to the fact that Chinese conglomerates are buying up American farmland and agriculture companies, surreptitiously converting industries at the core of our national identity to their own. After gaining control of Smithfield, Chinese interests took a step further by acquiring a leading seed producer, Syngenta. China now has a firm hold on a significant portion of our pork supply chain, from the food that fattens the pigs to the companies that process them. They are coming for our food supply.