NEBRASKA CITY - In his March 14 column, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts says China has enough control over certain agricultural inputs to pose a threat to supply chains and food security.

The Nebraska senator supports the Securing American Agriculture Act with Senate Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. He says the act will bolster agricultural supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign adversaries.

He said it will also direct the secretary of agriculture to recommend ways to “onshore” supply chains involving food production.

Ricketts said China’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chains poses a serious national security threat.

Here is the senator's column

 

Nebraska farmers and ranchers produce the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. Agricultural inputs have further increased efficiency, improved resiliency to disease and drought, and reduced impacts on the environment. Nebraska producers have led the way on all those fronts. They feed and fuel the world. This week, I introduced bipartisan legislation to secure our food and agricultural supply chains. 

Communist China is the single greatest foreign threat we face. A Communist China-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. We must defend our security and our way of life. I continue to fight for an all-of-government response to these challenges. One way to do that is by protecting key supply chains. We discovered the risk of being dependent on China during the pandemic. 

 

Among other supply chains, Communist China has gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs. Inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production. They control up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed. That high market share threatens the existence of independent supply chains for key inputs. 

Losing access to these inputs could have major negative consequences on productivity, prices, and food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that China’s domination of the amino acids market could potentially destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs. It could also reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. We can’t let that happen. We must diversify our supply chains.

This week, I introduced the Securing American Agriculture Act with Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will bolster and protect our food and agricultural supply chains. It will also reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries. 

Specifically, our bill does two things. First, it requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct an annual threat assessment. This would examine food and agricultural supply chains. It would look at current domestic production capacity for critical inputs. The assessment would also examine current and potential bottlenecks in our supply chains. 

Second, our bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to recommend solutions to mitigate threats from Communist China. This would mean recommending new rules or laws to encourage diversifying our supply chain away from China. That way, we can onshore more production and protect our supply chains. 

Our bill is bipartisan and bicameral. Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson and Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi are leading the legislation in the House. We’re working to get this common-sense bill over the finish line. 

China’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chains poses a serious national security threat. Food security is national security. Losing access to key inputs could reduce productivity, increase food prices, and undermine food security. My Securing American Agriculture Act will bolster and protect these supply chains. It will reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries. It will protect Nebraska farmers and ranchers. I’ll keep fighting until we pass it. 

 

 

 

Ricketts, Slotkin Lead Bipartisan Bill to Secure American Agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) led 8 colleagues in introducing the Securing American Agriculture Act. The bipartisan, bicameral bill would secure critical supply chains and reduce America’s reliance on adversaries like Communist China. U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) introduced companion legislation in the House.

 “Communist China’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chains poses a serious national security threat,” said Senator Ricketts. “Losing access to key inputs could reduce productivity, increase food prices, and undermine food security. My bill will bolster and protect these supply chains and reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries.”

“Food security is national security – and we need to treat threats to our food supply chain just like any other security risk,” said Senator Slotkin. “This legislation requires us to assess those risks so we can protect our food supply. Bottom line: We need to make sure America’s agriculture supply chain is secure and stays right here at home.” 

“China has intentionally captured a significant market share of America’s agricultural inputs—which is vital to our food supply chain—ceding leverage to our top adversary,” said Representative Hinson. “Iowa farmers have told me firsthand that if China decides to shut off U.S. access to these critical inputs, our food production would be in jeopardy. I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill that exposes and counters China’s grip on agricultural inputs to strengthen domestic manufacturing and food security. Plain and simple: we should bring our agriculture supply chain home.”

“The bipartisan, bicameral Securing American Agriculture Act is a critical step forward in protecting our nation’s food supply and farmers from foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, who threaten our agricultural security,” said Representative Krishnamoorthi. “America’s farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we must ensure they have the resources and safeguards needed to compete on a level playing field while securing our nation’s agricultural supply chains.”

The bill was first covered by Fox News here. Bill text can be found here.

BACKGROUND:

American farmers produce the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. The use of agricultural inputs has further increased efficiency, improved resiliency to disease and drought, and reduced impacts on the environment. Among other supply chains, China has gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production and up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed.

Losing access to these key inputs could have major negative consequences on productivity, prices, and food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that the PRC’s domination of the amino acids market could potentially destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs and reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our food production supply chain.

Specifically, the bipartisan bill:

  • Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains, current domestic production capacity for critical inputs, and current and potential bottlenecks in the food and agriculture supply chain.
  • Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from the PRC and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.

The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO).