Agricultural Associations Initiate $100K Advertising Campaign to Oppose Smithfield and Uphold States' Autonomy
Firebrand Alert: The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA) are going all guns blazing against the potential reintroduction of the Food Security and Farm Protection Act—formerly known as the EATS Act. This legislation, if passed, could spell disaster for family farms, rural communities, and the very fabric of our agricultural landscape.
Washington, D.C. - The two organizations have launched a gutsy, 100k ad campaign to rally against the looming reintroduction of this contentious Act. Sponsored by Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), this bill poses a significant threat to states' rights and the backbone of our agricultural system.
"Let's be clear," asserts Marty Irby, CMA President and OCM board secretary, "If Congress pushes ahead with the Food Security and Farm Protection Act or anything similar, we'll have Smithfield, that sleazy Chinese-controlled corporation, owning the livestock production in the United States!"
In case you're not well-versed, Smithfield Foods is a major global food company, a significant portion of which was acquired by the Chinese Communist Party in 2013.
So, why the uproar, you ask? Deborah Mills, ex-Chair of the National Dairy Producers Organization and an OCM board member, puts it bluntly: "Passing this act would crush dairy producers across the nation."
This Act, if enacted via the Farm Bill, would annihilate hundreds of state agricultural laws, leaving the door wide open for increased foreign control without the necessary safeguards. Without these protective regulations, corporations like Smithfield Foods could flex their muscles nationwide, bulldozing regulations designed to protect rural communities, family farms, and consumers. And let's face it, we don't want our beloved hot dogs and bacon coming from the CCP, do we?
Jonathan Buttram, President of the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association and OCM board treasurer, chimes in, "We must prevent any form of the Act from creeping into the upcoming Farm Bill and milk every resource possible to keep this poison pill from becoming law." House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders Glenn Thompson, John Boozman, Amy Klobuchar, and Angie Craig need to draw the line against this egregious assault on state agricultural laws.
The ad campaign has been amplified across platforms. Last week, OCM went wild with an ad buy on Politico Morning and Weekly Ag. CMA, not to be outdone, took over The Daily Caller's homepage for two straight days, and a billboard truck is now stationed on Capitol Hill for the next three months during Congress sessions.
So, what's the big deal? The EATS Act faces opposition from more than 2,000 individual farms, advocacy groups, and trade associations nationwide. American family farmers are not about to let this attack on states' rights go unchallenged, putting their farms under the thumb of the Chinese government.
In the 118th Congress, Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), and former Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), now the National Security Advisor, banded together to oppose the EATS Act. In 2024, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) led the charge again, mobilizing members of the House Freedom Caucus.
But wait, there's more! According to Mike Schultz, Senior Vice President at OCM and founder of the Kansas Cattlemen's Association, the EATS Act is nothing but a cleverly disguised wolf in sheep's clothing, designed to shaft family farmers and give multinational conglomerates like Smithfield a leg up. As he puts it, "It's a damn shame to see my Senator, Roger Marshall, leading this barrage on producers and states' rights."
Let's be frank, folks. This is a battle cry for American farmers. It’s time to stand up and fight for our farmers, our rural communities, and our food supply. So, pick up your phones and reach out to your elected officials. Make it crystal clear that you want them to vote against any Farm Bill that includes this dangerous, foreign-friendly Act. We're looking at you, Congress.
- The ongoing debate in the industry and politics circles revolves around the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, with the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA) expressing strong opposition to its potential reintroduction.
- In the realm of finance and general news, the controversy surrounds the bill's potential threat to states' rights and the agricultural system, as well as its implications for increasing foreign control, particularly by corporations like Smithfield Foods.
- In the context of policy-and-legislation, it's crucial to note that the EATS Act, if enacted via the Farm Bill, could annihilate hundreds of state agricultural laws, leaving the door open for corporations to exert undue influence on rural communities, family farms, and consumers.
