182 Members of Congress Applauded by Farm Groups for Standing Firmly Against Hinson Attack on Family Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — 182 Members of the U.S. House joined this week in sending a letter to U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-PA, and Ranking Member Angie Craig, D-MN, citing their opposition to the so-called Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act, H.R. 4673, led by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-IA, that would upend states’ rights and put American family farmers out of business.
Two of the leading groups that advocated for the Members of Congress to join the letter include the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), as well as members of the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association, and Kansas Cattlemen’s Association. In 2023, OCM and CMA launched a public campaign against a prior iteration of the SOB, known as the EATS Act, a measure the groups deem an assault on states’ rights and a gift to Chinese pork conglomerates like Smithfield. Earlier this month, the groups rallied in Washington, D.C., in over 50 meetings on Capitol Hill, the USDA, and Dept. of Justice, to speak out against the SOB, and its Senate counterpart, S. 1326, led by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-IA. The meetings led to an announcement by President Donald J. Trump within 48 hours, that the DOJ would be launching an investigation into the four big packer monopoly – that includes Smithfield – for “Price Fixing.”
The House Democrat letter sent this week, led by Reps. Lateefah Simon, D-CA, Jim Costa, D-CA, and Jim McGovern, D-MA, included a number of House Agriculture Committee Members and follows a September House Republican letter against the SOB led by Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, R-FL, Nancy Mace, R-SC, Andrew Garbarino, R-NY, and David Valadao, R-CA, as well as a July Senate letter against S. 1326.
“The SOB Act aims to undermine the basic principles of federalism by preempting hundreds of state and local laws, even where no federal standards exist, creating a regulatory vacuum,” wrote the Members. “In doing so, the SOB Act and similar iterations would drastically broaden the scope of federal preemption and impede the ability of voters and elected officials to enact laws that address local concerns due to the unique nature of individual communities,” they continued.
“We’re committed to utilizing every resource OCM has at our disposal to prevent the SOB Act from becoming law and preventing the Chinese from taking over American food production,” said Taylor Haynes, president at the Organization for Competitive Markets and founder of the Wyoming Independent Cattlemen’s Association.
“We applaud the nearly 200 Members of the People’s House for standing firmly against the terrible SOB assault on independent family farmers, states’ rights, and the Constitution,” said Marty Irby, president at Competitive Markets Action and board secretary at the Organization for Competitive Markets. “We’d be better off sinking the farm bill than seeing one enacted that includes Hinson’s sellout of American agriculture to China.”
“If the SOB is included in the upcoming Farm Bill, it’ll mark the end of American family farming as we know it,” said Deborah Mills, former chairwoman of the National Dairy Producers Organization and a board director at the Organization for Competitive Markets. “We must fight this hostile takeover with everything we have – it’s clear from China Weekly’s commentary that Rep. Hinson’s bill is China’s baby.”
“It’s a damn shame to see the SOB leaders sell out American family farmers to help increase profits for Chinese-owned corporations like Smithfield,” said Mike Schultz, founder of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, and vice-president at the Organization for Competitive Markets.
Legislation passed last week to reopen the U.S. government, also included a provision to extend the 2018 Farm Bill until September 30, 2026, while a new Farm Bill is being formulated and the groups will continue their efforts to ensure no version of H.R. 4673 or S. 1326 is included.
The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers and rural communities. True competition reduces the need for economic regulation. Our mission, and our duty, is to define and advocate the proper role of government in the agricultural economy as a regulator and enforcer of rules necessary for markets that are fair, honest, accessible and competitive for all citizens.
Competitive Markets Action (CMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit based in Washington, D.C., that was formed with the mission of shaping policy to promote more regenerative and sustainable agriculture, and competitive markets in the U.S., and to defend against attacks on states’ rights by the federal government. CMA works to raise awareness of the harm caused by multinational conglomerates to the American family farmer, the consumer and our U.S. economy as a whole in an effort to bring about legislative and regulatory reforms.