U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyom.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyom.) have joined Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in introducing the bipartisan Securing American Agriculture Act. This legislation aims to protect U.S. food and agriculture supply chains from foreign adversaries.
"Protecting America’s agricultural and food supply chains from Chinese Communist Party threats is a top priority," stated Barrasso. "China’s alarming influence on the global agricultural supply chain puts our national security at risk. This legislation will strengthen our agricultural and food security and enable us to act on potential threats against America’s supply chain."
Lummis echoed these concerns, saying, "The threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) extends far beyond our borders. From the content we consume on our devices to threats in the Pacific to the slave labor being used to manufacture clothing, the CCP has had an incredibly damaging influence on the United States. We cannot allow our foreign adversaries like China to control us. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation is a crucial step toward safeguarding America’s future."
The bill addresses concerns over China's control of more than 90% of global production of essential vitamins used in agricultural production, particularly in animal feed. A disruption in this supply could significantly impact U.S. productivity and food prices.