(U.S. Senate Press Release, September 27, 2024)
BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) introduced the Securing American Agriculture Act, which would protect domestic agriculture supply chains and reduce America’s reliance on foreign adversaries.
“Congress can’t allow Communist China to seize control of America’s food supply chain,” said Risch. “Idaho’s farmers and ranchers fuel our economy and feed the world. The Securing American Agriculture Act will help defend against threats to Idaho agriculture from China’s influence.”
“Close and continued oversight evaluating America’s relationship with the CCP is vital to our national security and protecting our nation’s food supply chain,” said Crapo. “It is in our best interest to take every step toward mitigating potential threats from the CCP.”
“The CCP is the single greatest threat to America’s national security and financial independence,” said Ricketts. “A CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. This bill moves us closer to that.”
In recent years, China gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. Losing access to these key inputs could drastically reduce agricultural productivity, increase food prices, and undermine domestic food security.
The Securing American Agriculture Act would:
- Require the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains.
- Require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from China and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.
Risch, Crapo, and Ricketts are joined by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Borrasso (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).
