Monday August 21 Crop Progress & Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending August 20, 2023, there were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 19% very short, 34% short, 44% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 17% very short, 39% short, 42% adequate, and 2% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 5% very poor, 13% poor, 21% fair, 44% good, and 17% excellent. Corn dough was 83%, ahead of 76% last year, and near 82% for the five-year average. Dented was 43%, ahead of 36% both last year and average. Mature was 1%, near 3% last year and 2% average.

Soybean condition rated 6% very poor, 11% poor, 25% fair, 43% good, and 15% excellent. Soybeans blooming was 95%, behind 100% last year, and near 99% average. Setting pods was 82%, behind 92% last year and 90% average.

Sorghum condition rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 22% fair, 46% good, and 28% excellent. Sorghum headed was 89%, ahead of 73% last year, but near 90% average. Coloring was 27%, ahead of 16% last year, but near 28% average.

Oats harvested was 94%, near 97% last year and 98% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 0% very poor, 1% poor, 32% fair, 63% good, and 4% excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 94%, near 96% last year. Setting pods was 68%, near 65% last year. Dropping leaves was 4%.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 29% fair, 54% good, and 9% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress Report  

Cool and dry weather throughout the state led to 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 20, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included cutting and baling hay as well as harvesting oats. Continued dry weather meant CRP land was opened for emergency haying and grazing.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 38 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 44 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn in the dough stage reached 92 percent this week, 8 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. Thirty-nine percent of the corn crop was dented, 4 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Corn condition rated to 60 percent good to excellent. Soybeans setting pods reached 94 percent, 1 week ahead of both last year and the average.

Soybeans starting to turn color was 4 percent this week. Soybean condition rated 59 percent good to excellent.

Oats harvested for grain reached 98 percent, 1 week ahead of the average.

The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 82 percent complete, 19 days ahead of last year and 16 days ahead of the average.

Pasture condition rated 23 percent good to excellent. Livestock producers continued to supplement with hay due to the prolonged dry conditions, but overall livestock conditions were decent with the lower-than-average temperatures for the week.



USDA Crop Progress Report: Corn Condition Falls Slightly, Soybean Condition Unchanged Week Ended Aug. 20

The return of hot, dry weather over larger portions of the central U.S. late last week halted the recent rise in corn and soybean conditions, USDA-NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. And with record heat forecast from Texas to Minnesota to Maryland to Florida this week, crop conditions appear likely to take another hit.

CORN
-- Crop progress: Corn in the dough stage as of Sunday, Aug. 20, was estimated at 78%, 5 percentage points ahead of last year's 73% and 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 77%. Corn dented was pegged at 35%, 6 points ahead of last year's 29% and 2 points ahead of the five-year average of 33%. Corn mature was 4%, the same as both last year and the five-year average.
-- Crop condition: Nationally, corn was rated 58% good to excellent, down 1 percentage point from 59% the previous week but still above 55% a year ago at this time.

SOYBEANS
-- Crop progress: 96% of soybeans were blooming, the same as both last year and the five-year average. Soybeans setting pods were pegged at 86%, 3 percentage points ahead of last year's 83% and 2 points ahead of the average of 84%.
-- Crop condition: Soybeans were rated 59% good to excellent as of Sunday, unchanged from the previous week and still slightly above 57% a year ago at this time.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: The nation's winter wheat harvest continued to inch toward completion last week, reaching 96% as of Sunday, 2 points ahead of last year's 94% but equal to the five-year average.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest continued at a steady pace last week, moving ahead 15 percentage points to reach 39% completed as of Sunday. That was 7 percentage points behind the five-year average of 46%.
-- Crop condition: USDA said 38% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent as of Aug. 20, down 4 percentage points from last week's 42% and still well below 64% a year ago.

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State Fair is fun and educational during Nebraska’s Largest Classroom

From carnival rides to treats on a stick, the Nebraska State Fair has a lot to offer any youngster. But it also has a lot to teach them, about agriculture and Nebraska.

That’s why the State Fair will turn into Nebraska’s Largest Classroom on Friday, Aug. 25; Tuesday, Aug. 29; and Wednesday, Aug. 30. More than 4,500 youths from across the state are expected to attend.

The fair will be open to the general public those two days, as well.

“It is always exciting to see students from across the state experiencing the sights, sounds and activities of the Nebraska State Fair,” said Jaime Parr, Nebraska State Fair Executive Director. “Students experience hands-on agriculture. To get to see animals up close and personal and to learn more details about how food gets to their table are simply priceless. We all rely on agriculture every day.”

Students will see not only how a cow is milked but also how sheep are shorn. They’ll observe power safety demonstrations, become germ investigators, learn about Nebraska’s trees and water, unlock secrets of the soil and create their own Kool-Aid flavors.

They will see how food goes from farm to fork and learn how agriculture impacts all areas of the state. Nebraska’s Largest Classroom will include information on dairy products, pork and wheat, to name a few.

With the theme “Whatever Your Flavor,” the Nebraska State Fair is Aug. 25-Sept. 4 in Grand Island. For more information, go to StateFair.org.



With ‘Five-Point Plan’ in place, University again earns strong rating for fiscal management

Thanks in part to President Ted Carter’s “Five-Point Plan” to reimagine the University of Nebraska during a period of budgetary challenges, the NU System has again earned high marks for fiscal management in a new report issued by one of the nation’s leading credit ratings agencies.

S&P Global recently affirmed the university’s AA bond rating, the second-highest score possible, putting Nebraska among the top 8 percent of public higher education institutions in the country. The rating means the university has strong capacity to pay its bills and debt obligations and ensures that NU can continue borrowing money at low interest rates, saving students and Nebraska taxpayers money.

In its report, S&P Global cited the Five-Point Plan unveiled by Carter in June as a key factor in its decision to affirm the university’s strong bond rating. Carter’s plan – with goals to recruit more Nebraska students, raise the university’s academic and research profile, regain admission into the prestigious Association of American Universities, and identify additional operational efficiencies – aims to address short- and long-term resource challenges facing the University of Nebraska at a time of significant change for all of higher education.

“In our view, this is an example of the university managing in a proactive manner to sustain its long-term financial strength,” S&P wrote.

S&P’s report also highlights the Board of Regents and administration’s conservative budgeting and capital planning practices, NU’s strong fundraising capabilities, historically stable support from the state, and its status as Nebraska’s only public research university system as positive factors.

Carter said the strong score shows the University of Nebraska has been a proactive and responsible steward of its resources as it, like many institutions around the country, manages an unprecedented combination of inflation, muted revenue growth, and enrollment and demographic challenges.

“We built our Five-Point Plan to not only weather the challenges ahead of us, but to reimagine ourselves into a more competitive, dynamic University of Nebraska for the future,” Carter said. “Ultimately, our plan is all about accountability to students and the people of Nebraska. We’ll have to make tough decisions to make sure we’re allocating our resources in ways that create the greatest possible return for Nebraskans, but we are confident in our path forward. It’s gratifying to see our approach affirmed by the best in the business.”

Board of Regents Chairman Tim Clare of Lincoln said: “As a longtime member of the Board, I’ve seen firsthand how much thought goes into budgeting and strategic planning at the University of Nebraska. Our diligence pays off when we can say that we are viewed in such high standing by outside financial experts. We have an ambitious plan in hand to achieve an even higher level of success and rankings like this confirm that we are in a strong position to make our vision a reality.”

Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice, vice chairman of the Board and chairman of the Business and Finance Committee, said: “Nebraskans can take pride in the conservative fiscal planning we have done to help us manage ups and downs in the economy. Fiscal discipline will be more important than ever going forward. We will continue to focus on being as effective and efficient as possible for the benefit of students, families and taxpayers.”

Carter issued his Five-Point Plan in response to a charge by the Board to build a strategy for balancing the budget while also enhancing the university’s competitiveness in enrollment, research and academics. Regents directed Carter to set system-wide priorities and invest dollars accordingly.

A thorough review of non-academic operations and a zero-based budgeting exercise to justify expenditures are key elements of Carter’s plan. The goal is to free up resources to not only close the university’s budget shortfall, but invest in priorities to help the university compete at the highest levels.



Interested in the Potential for Biologicals?

Biological products seem to be a hot topic right now as a potential amendment to boost nutrient availability and perhaps even reduce fertilizer inputs. SOURCE by Sound Agriculture is another contender. Sound Agriculture recently announced their Straight to the SOURCE Roadshow will be kicking off on August 29th and making its way to Nebraska.

Events to be held.....
    Husker Harvest Days: Grand Island, NE, Sept 12-14th
    First Rate Ag: Holdrege, NE, Sept 15th @ 10AM
    Team Ag: Oxford, NE Sept 15th @ 4PM
    Bluff Ag: Morse Bluff, NE, Sept 18 @ 10AM
    Quality Ag: Lincoln, NE, Sept 18 @ 4PM

Attendees are invited to try out a new Virtual Reality experience that takes you under the soil to learn how plants and microbes interact, meet with expert agronomists, and learn about the potential benefits of using SOURCE. Visit www.sound.ag/roadshow to learn more.



NEBRASKA CHICKENS AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during July 2023 totaled 7.94 million, up from 5.45 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nebraska egg production during July totaled 211 million eggs, up from 128 million in 2022. July egg production per 100 layers was 2,656 eggs, compared to 2,354 eggs in 2022.

IOWA: Iowa egg production during July 2023 was 1.17 billion eggs, up 28 percent from the previous July, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics
Service. The average number of all layers on hand during July 2023 was 44.9 million, up 24 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for July 2023 was 2,611, up 3 percent from a year ago.

July Egg Production Up 3 Percent
United States egg production totaled 9.37 billion during July 2023, up 3 percent from last year. Production included 8.03 billion table eggs, and 1.34 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.25 billion were broiler-type and 95.7 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during July 2023 totaled 384 million, up 4 percent from last year. July egg production per 100 layers was 2,438 eggs, down slightly from July 2022.
                                    
Total layers in the United States on August 1, 2023 totaled 385 million, up 3 percent from last year. The 385 million layers consisted of 316 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 65.0 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.61 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on August 1, 2023, averaged 78.8 eggs per 100 layers, down slightly from August 1, 2022.



ISRAELI AG TECH COMPANIES COMPLETE CULTIVO® VIRTUAL ACADEMY PROGRAM

Seven Israeli scaleup companies have successfully completed the Cultivo® Virtual Academy, speeding their planning for U.S. market entry.  The six-week virtual program is hosted and coordinated by America’s Cultivation Corridor®, providing participants a unique experience featuring mentorship, interaction with Iowa’s agricultural leaders and an online curriculum that included regulatory and financing systems, and customer perspectives. The Iowa Economic Development Authority was the presenting sponsor of the program.

“Congratulations to the Israeli cohort of the Cultivo Virtual Academy. This course led by food and ag industry and research leadership is a great opportunity to establish the right connections for businesses to scale into the U.S. system,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “From my recent travels to Israel, it is great to see the continuation of our conversations through programs like this and we look forward to companies continuing to build their connections here.”

The seven cohort members included:
    Agrematch is a data-science product discovery and development company that works with industries that require novel bioactive compounds for their products.
    BugEra is building an insect genetics platform to develop novel strains of the black soldier fly (BSF) to enhance biomanufacturing and produce higher quantities of high-quality oil for biofuels.
    DriftSense is developing an evidence-based prediction tool to help growers know when to apply pesticides for optimal precision, efficiency, and sustainability.
    Fermata Tech is a data science company developing computer vision solutions for outdoor and controlled environment agriculture.
    PlantArcBio is an ag-biotech company engaged in research and development in the field of gene discovery and biological components for improving plant traits and controlling pests.
    ProJini is using a new pesticide-discovery engine to discover and develop new pesticides acting in a new mode of action and interfere with protein-protein interactions.
    Seed-X is an AI-driven agtech software company that is working to optimize seed and food supply chains by addressing quality attributes at the single seed level.

“I’m excited to congratulate the cohort members for completing the Cultivo program.  Over the past six weeks they have experienced what I’ve seen after living around the globe:  there is not a better place than the U.S. Midwest and America’s Cultivation Corridor to scale a company,” said Cory Reed, Chair of America’s Cultivation Corridor Board of Directors, and President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Production & Precision Ag, John Deere.

Applications for the next multi-nation cohort of Cultivo Virtual Academy are now being accepted, with plans to begin the program in October 2023.  For more information on the program, or to learn about opportunities to sponsor or participate in a future cohort, visit https://www.cultivationcorridor.org or contact Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor at bhunt@cultivationcorridor.org.

“The Cultivo Virtual Academy is the best investment a scaleup company can make as they develop a path to entering the U.S. market,” said Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor.  “Entering the U.S. marketplace can be overwhelming, but Cultivo’s focused curriculum, networking and connections with Iowa’s researchers, business leaders and farmers provide the knowledge and introductions to successfully navigate market entry.”

Investors and partners of America’s Cultivation Corridor are working together to accelerate the development of new technologies, strengthen Iowa’s ag bioscience workforce, and attract economic development, all focused on meeting the challenge of feeding a growing world population in a sustainable way.



July Milk Production in the United States down 0.5 Percent

Milk production in the United States during July totaled 19.1 billion pounds, down 0.5 percent from July 2022. Production per cow in the United States averaged 2,029 pounds for July, 9 pounds below July 2022. The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.40 million head, 13,000 head less than July 2022, and 3,000 head less than June 2023.

IOWA:  Milk production in Iowa during July 2023 totaled 502 million pounds, up 2 percent from the previous July according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during July, at 240,000 head, was unchanged from last month but up 4,000 from July 2022. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,090 pounds, up 10 pounds from last July.



That's An Interesting Report!
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Believe it or not, sometimes USDA reports are not very interesting. The latest Cattle on Feed report, released Friday August 18th, was not in that category.

Placements were the most interesting number in the report, 8.3 percent smaller than last July. Smaller placements broke the two-month streak of placements exceeding the year before.  The larger May and June placements may have pulled some ahead from July. Changing pasture and range conditions may have contributed to larger placements earlier in the Summer and fewer placed in July. For the year, placements are now 2.3 percent below last year. That makes some more sense compared to available feeder supplies and last year’s calf crop.

A good, unanswered question is the contribution of heifers to placements. Placements down sharply could reflect some more heifers held back with some improving pastures. The October report will provide the next update of the number of heifers on feed.

Placements were lower for every reported weight category except those over 1,000 pounds which were equal to a year ago. Placements of feeders weighing over 900 pounds accounted for 16.1 percent of total placements, the largest percentage for a July since 2019. Very heavy feeder placements are highly seasonal based on yearling grazing in some parts of the country, typically peaking in August-September at about 18-19 percent of total placements in those months.

Other disappearance is usually ignored by most but, this time it might be an interesting note. It was 16 percent, or 9,000 head larger than last July. Other disappearance normally declines from its May peak and it did this year, as well. But, it was relatively large for a July and Nebraska and South Dakota accounted for 6,000 of the 9,000 head difference compared to a year ago.

In the rest of the report, marketings were 5.3 percent smaller than a year ago. That leaves Cattle on Feed down 2.3 percent from last year. The number on feed is likely to continue to decline as fewer calves are available for placement and if more heifers are reserved to enter the herd. All in all, the report indicates continued support for high cattle, calf, and beef prices.



Major U.S. Agriculture Organizations Call on Presidential Candidates to Open New Markets to Strengthen U.S Ag and Decrease Reliance on the Chinese Market

Major U.S. agriculture organizations today implored all 2024 presidential candidates to prioritize new market access trade agreements as a means to strengthen U.S. agriculture and decrease reliance on China. The organizations also called on the presidential candidates to hold China accountable in a responsible manner that does not endanger U.S. food and agriculture’s largest export market or threaten American farmers with new retaliatory tariffs.

“The U.S. needs to again take the lead in negotiating new FTAs with other countries and work to strengthen and reform the rules-based multilateral trading system,” the organizations write in the letter. “In many respects, future FTAs could be modeled on the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) passed by Congress with broad bipartisan support. Such agreements could protect American workers and the environment, help contain China’s growing geopolitical influence, and open new export markets for our farmers by meaningfully reducing and eliminating tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers.”

The letter which comes shortly before the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, was sent to all presidential campaigns.
 

The full text of the letter follows:

August 21, 2023
Dear Presidential Candidates,

International trade is critical to the continued success of U.S. agriculture. Over 95% of the world’s consumers live outside the United States, and 20% of U.S. farm revenue comes from exports. Without access to foreign markets for U.S. agriculture, the jobs of over a million American workers would be directly affected, with indirect effects threatening millions more throughout the export supply chain.

For decades, America sold more food and agricultural products to other countries than it imported. This year, however, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting we will run a food and agriculture trade deficit of $17 billion: This is a wake-up call.

We recognize U.S. trade policy has shifted drastically over the past 10 years. However, a continued emphasis on free and fair trade is vital to ensuring U.S. farmers and ranchers can grow and export enough food, feed, fiber, and fuel to supply the global marketplace. As we consider America’s relationship with China and other countries in the context of food and agriculture, it is critical that we move strategically with a firm understanding of our national interests.

As part of your policy platform, we ask you to consider the following requests on behalf of U.S. agriculture:

1. Ensure U.S.-China relations are handled in a manner that holds China accountable yet maintains market access for U.S. agricultural goods.

In 2000, Congress voted to admit China into the World Trade Organization by granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relation (PNTR) status. At the time, the U.S. sold just $1.73 billion in food and agricultural products to China. This constituted around 3% of our total food and agricultural exports, ranking China behind Canada, Mexico, the EU, Japan, and South Korea as buyers of U.S. farm products.

Admitting China into the WTO has paid dividends for America’s farm economy: In the past two decades, U.S. export sales to China have skyrocketed, supporting an agricultural trade surplus. In 2022, the U.S. exported $38.11 billion in food and agricultural products to China—an astounding 22-fold increase. China is now the largest buyer of U.S. food and agricultural products, purchasing 19% of our exports. These exports are critical to America’s farmers and rural communities.

Selling nearly 20% of U.S. food and ag exports to one country, however, leaves U.S. famers vulnerable to global supply chain shocks. When relations between our two countries turn sour, those exports can be disrupted. The tariffs and retaliatory tariffs put in place in 2018 and 2019 are still impacting U.S. farmers and food processers and impeding efforts to regain access to this critically important market.

2. Work to diversify export markets for U.S. agriculture.

Market diversification helps with risk mitigation for U.S. farm goods. Opening new markets and growing existing markets for agriculture decreases a reliance upon the Chinese market. Further, international trade is an important diplomatic tool that builds our relationship and good standing with other countries, in turn lessening China’s global influence.

It has been over a decade since the U.S. entered into a new comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA). During this same time, our friends and adversaries alike have been busy entering into FTAs, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and to bilateral deals like the ones created just this year between Australia and the UK and between China and Ecuador.

The U.S. needs to again take the lead in negotiating new FTAs with other countries and work to strengthen and reform the rules-based multilateral trading system. In many respects, future FTAs could be modeled on the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA) passed by Congress with broad bipartisan support. Such agreements could protect American workers and the environment, help contain China’s growing geopolitical influence, and open new export markets for our farmers by meaningfully reducing and eliminating tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers.

As we move toward the 2024 presidential election, stakeholders in the food and agriculture sector are here to serve as a resource. We ask you to commit to fighting for free and fair trade on behalf of America’s farmers and ranchers, and we stand ready to answer any questions or provide additional information that may be needed by your campaign.

We look forward to working with you on these important issues.

Signed:
Almond Alliance
American Feed Industry Association
American Soybean Association
Animal Health Institute
Corn Refiners Association
Farmers for Free Trade
International Fresh Produce Association
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Corn Growers Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Milk Producers Federation
National Pork Producers Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Sorghum Producers
North American Meat Institute
North American Renderers Association
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Dairy Export Council
USA Rice



More than 150 Members of Congress Applauded by Farm Groups for Standing Firmly Against Hinson-Marshall EATS Attack on Family Farmers

More than 150 Members of the U.S. House joined today in sending a letter to U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-Pa., and Ranking Member David Scott, R-Ga., citing their opposition to the so-called Ending Agriculture Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019, led by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, and Sen. Roger Marshall, Kansas in the Senate.

Two of the leading groups that lobbied the Members of Congress to join the letter include the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), Competitive Markets Action (CMA), as well as members of the Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association, Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, National Dairy Producers Organization, Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, and others. In June, OCM and CMA launched a public campaign against EATS, a measure the groups deem an assault on states’ rights and a gift to Chinese pork conglomerates like Smithfield. Last month, the groups rallied in Washington, D.C., to join in nearly 100 meetings on Capitol Hill , and spoke out against EATS at their annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The groups are determined to prevent the measure from marginalizing American family farmers and opening the floodgates to China’s takeover of American agriculture alongside conservative groups like FreedomWorks, and expect more letters against EATS from Members of the House and Senate to be sent in the coming weeks.

The letter sent today, led by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Earl Blumenauer, R-Ore., included a number of House Agriculture Committee Members like Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., Jim Costa, R-Calif., and other rank and file Members including front liner Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.

“We write today expressing our strong opposition to the inclusion of H.R. 4417, the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, or any similar legislation in the 2023 Farm Bill,” wrote the Members. “Modeled after former Representative Steve King’s amendment, which was intensely controversial and ultimately excluded from the final 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, the EATS Act could harm America’s small farmers, threaten numerous state laws, and infringe on the fundamental rights of states to establish laws and regulations within their own borders,” they continued.  

“We applaud the more than 150 bipartisan Members of the People’s House for standing firmly against the terrible EATS assault on independent family farmers, states’ rights, and the Constitution,” said Marty Irby, President at Competitive Markets Action and Board Secretary and the Organization for Competitive Markets. “We’d be better off sinking the farm bill than seeing one enacted that includes the Hinson-Marshall legislation selling out American agriculture to China.”

“We’re committed to utilizing every resource OCM has at our disposal to prevent the EATS Act from becoming law and preventing the Chinese from taking over American food production,” said Taylor Haynes, President at the Organization for Competitive Markets and a cattle rancher from Laramie, Wyoming.

OCM led the charge in the farming and ranching space to defeat a previous iteration of the EATS Act led by former Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, from being included in the 2018 Farm Bill led by former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, and current Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. In recent weeks, even Marshall declared on RFDTV: “We’re getting the heck beat out of us,” on the terrible EATS Act.

“If EATS is included in the upcoming Farm Bill, it’ll mark the end of American family farming as we know it,” said Deborah Mills, Chairwoman of the National Dairy Producers Organization and a Board Director at the Organization for Competitive Markets. “We must fight this hostile takeover with everything we have – it’s clear from China Weekly’s recent commentary that the Hinson-Marshall EATS Act is China’s baby.”

“It’s a damn shame to see the EATS Act leaders sell out Kansans to help increase profits for Chinese-owned corporations like Smithfield,” said Mike Schultz, founder of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association, and Vice-President at the Organization for Competitive Markets.

In June, OCM and CMA launched a campaign against the EATS Act that centers the opposition of family poultry, pork, and dairy farms as well as independent cattle ranchers. Specifically, it highlights their concern that Chinese interests are not solely focused on land rights; they are aggressively acquiring entire agricultural companies, posing a significant threat to our farming sovereignty.

The campaign has to date included ad buys in Politico Morning and Weekly Ag for three full weeks in June and one full week in July, as well as ad buys that included a takeover of The Daily Caller’s homepage five times as well as radio ads in key Congressional Districts, and a billboard truck on Capitol Hill, the last half of July that’ll be returning for the full month of September and beyond. The ads encourage voters to contact their elected officials and ask them to vote no on any Farm Bill that contains the EATS Act. OCM and CMA plan to continue the ad campaign throughout the course of 2023 until the Farm Bill is finalized and enacted.

Enacting the Hinson/Marshall Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act via the Farm Bill would eliminate hundreds of state agricultural laws, effectively paving the way for even more foreign intrusion without guardrails. This absence of rules, particularly those that support American family farmers and ranchers, would create an environment in which large Chinese corporations like Smithfield Foods and others can easily expand across all 50 states without having to comply with state laws that protect rural communities, American farming families, and consumers.