Hinson, Ricketts roll out bipartisan bill to protect US agriculture supply chain from Chinese Communist Party
Rep. Ashley Hinson and Sen. Pete Ricketts are teaming up to introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at securing agriculture supply chains in the United States and protecting them from potential exploitation by the Chinese Communist Party. The Securing American Agriculture Act, which will be introduced by Hinson in the House of Representatives and Ricketts in the Senate, seeks to identify vulnerabilities in the supply chain, domestic production gaps, and ways in which the CCP could exploit the industry.
The bill would require the Department of Agriculture to conduct an annual assessment to pinpoint these vulnerabilities and recommend ways to strengthen U.S. reliance while reducing China’s influence in the agricultural sector. It aims to ensure that the USDA accurately accounts for the country’s dependence on China for critical agricultural inputs and guarantee access for American producers.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Rep. Hinson emphasized the importance of countering China’s grip on agricultural inputs to strengthen domestic manufacturing and food security. She stressed the need to bring the agriculture supply chain back home to protect American farmers and food production.
Sen. Ricketts also highlighted the threat posed by China’s strategic control over key sectors of the food and agricultural supply chains, calling it a serious national security issue. His bill aims to bolster and protect these supply chains while reducing reliance on foreign adversaries.
The bipartisan nature of the bill has garnered support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. House China Committee Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi praised the bill as a critical step in protecting the nation’s food supply and farmers from foreign adversaries like the CCP. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that farmers have the resources and safeguards needed to compete on a level playing field.
In the Senate, Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin and several Republican senators have voiced their support for the bill, with Slotkin emphasizing the importance of treating threats to the food supply chain as national security risks. She stressed the need to assess these risks to protect the food supply and ensure that America’s agriculture supply chain remains secure at home.
Overall, the Securing American Agriculture Act represents a bipartisan effort to safeguard the country’s food supply and protect it from exploitation by foreign adversaries. By identifying vulnerabilities in the supply chain and reducing reliance on countries like China, the bill aims to strengthen domestic food production and ensure food security for American consumers.
