Bipartisan Effort Urges House Agriculture Committee to Reject Threat to State Agricultural Regulations
In a bipartisan letter led by Congressman Earl Blumenauer, 169 members of the House are advocating for the rejection of a potential threat to state agricultural regulations. The House Agriculture Committee is being urged not to include the EATS Act from the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill. This act, if passed, would impede states and localities from regulating agricultural practices within their own borders. The lawmakers emphasize that the act would undermine states’ abilities to enforce animal welfare protections and other related standards.
Recently, 15 states have responded to consumer and industry demands by enacting public health, food safety, and humane standards pertaining to the production and sale of products from egg-laying chickens, veal calves, and mother pigs. The EATS Act was introduced with the primary intention of sidestepping these standards that aim to protect animal welfare. However, the lawmakers argue that Congress should not disempower states from regulating food and agricultural products according to local contexts, as federalism allows for diverse approaches across states. They believe that the federal government should play a complementary role instead of rendering states powerless.
The EATS Act, labeled as controversial, has drawn criticism from various stakeholders who argue that it undermines animal welfare, food safety, environmental rules, child labor protection, and other standards. Sara Amundson, president of Humane Society Legislative Fund, highlights the pork industry’s attempt to impose on states, rather than California trying to enforce its standards nationwide. The objective of the EATS Act is to make every state accept the terms of any other state that chooses not to ensure humane treatment or other important regulations. However, opponents argue that such an approach would erode federalism and the power of states to regulate product sales within their borders.
Advocacy groups such as the ASPCA and the Animal Welfare Institute also commend Congressman Blumenauer for leading efforts against the EATS Act. They emphasize that inclusion of this act in the 2023 Farm Bill would initiate a detrimental race-to-the-bottom scenario, negatively impacting animal welfare, farmers, rural communities, and the environment. The EATS Act is viewed as a significant legislative threat to farmed animal welfare, as it would limit states’ ability to pass meaningful laws that improve conditions for animals on factory farms.
In conclusion, the bipartisan letter urges the House Agriculture Committee to reject the EATS Act or any similar provisions in the forthcoming Farm Bill, highlighting the importance of preserving states’ regulatory power and maintaining diverse approaches to agricultural practices across the country.
