A harmful agricultural bill has been re-introduced by U.S. Senator Cory Booker titled the Farm System Reform Act. As if the industry needed any more reason to roll their sleeves up and fight for the truth, this bill, originally introduced in 2019, “would crackdown on monopolistic practices, invest billions in the transition to a more resilient food system, place a moratorium on large factory farms,” according to Booker’s website booker.senate.gov.
Booker’s website states that “The Farm System Reform Act would, among other things, strengthen the Packers & Stockyards Act to crack down on the monopolistic practices of meatpackers and corporate integrators, place a moratorium on large factory farms, sometimes referred to as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements.”
While this sounds like a great idea, especially in the packer and stockyards area which has faced some controversy in the past years, it’s actually not all it’s cracked up to be and can cause further harmful legislation to be passed down the road. Before allowing this to become law, farmers and ranchers must look closely at the language.
Influential voices in agriculture are actively addressing the Farm System Reform Act, stating the misconceptions and disinformation being spread by this piece of legislation that is supported by over 200 animal rights activists, environmental, and health organizations.
One of those voices in the National Cattelemen’s Beef Association. They state that the bill is “misguided.”
Ethan Lane, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs, said, “In the past week, Democrats in Washington have put forward two starkly different proposals for strengthening the future of American cattle farmers and ranchers. One of these paths, namely the recent announcement from Secretary Vilsack, offers practical, long-term progress for our producers. The alternative, introduced today in Congress, is the kind of broad, jumbled mess you get when you’re more focused on Twitter and talking points than the sound legislating rural Americans need.
“Ninety-five percent of cattle raised in the United States visit a feedyard. Feeding operations aren’t antithetical to small, family-owned farms and ranches — they’re part and parcel of the same, symbiotic supply chain that produces the most nutritious, sustainable beef in the world. Cattle feeders respond efficiently to meet a wide range of consumer demands, and that efficiency is one of the main reasons why the United States has had the lowest beef GHG emissions intensity in the world for 25 years. As our food supply chain is taxed by a growing number of mouths to feed at home and abroad, this efficient production system will be more vital than ever,” Lane continued.
“NCBA has long been on the forefront of issues like accurate ‘Product of the USA’ labeling, competitive and transparent markets, and a more resilient supply chain. While it is positive to see some of these key producer concerns receiving attention from two new members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, we’re also frustrated to see them buried in such a sprawling, misguided package.”
AgWeb.com listed what the Farm System Reform Act would do on their website.
“The Farm System Reform Act would:
- Force cattle feedlots of more than 1,000 head to close by Jan. 1, 2040
- Hold corporate integrators responsible for pollution and other harm caused by CAFOs
- Provide a voluntary buyout for farmers who want to transition out of operating a CAFO
- Strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act to protect family farmers and ranchers
- Restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef and pork and expand to dairy products
- Prohibit the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from labeling foreign imported meat products as ‘Product of USA’”
Proponents of the bill include Animal Welfare Institute, support the language and hope to control larger farming operations. Their website listed the reasons why this legislation is necessary.
“The current model of industrial animal agriculture that dominates our food system is unsustainable. Increased awareness of the adverse impacts factory farming has on animals, communities, and the environment continues to strengthen opposition to these operations.
According to a 2019 national survey released by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, more than 80 percent of respondents were concerned about air and water pollution, worker safety, and health problems associated with CAFOs, and 57 percent of those surveyed supported greater oversight of industrial animal agriculture.5
In addition to the aforementioned issues associated with CAFOs, the recent COVID-19 outbreak has amplified concerns over modern animal agriculture’s role in the spread of deadly pathogens and over the vulnerability to disruption when supply chains are highly consolidated. In a recent report, the United Nations Environment Programme identified unsustainable agricultural intensification—namely, the increased demand for animal protein that is driving the industrialization of animal production—as a major driver of zoonotic disease transmission. Close confinement, unsanitary conditions, and genetic homogeneity within factory farms greatly increases the risk of deadly diseases spreading and spilling over to humans.6 Additionally, the routine administration of antibiotics to farm animals—another byproduct of industrial farming—has contributed to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be passed to humans, resulting in life-threatening and potentially untreatable infections.7
The Farm System Reform Act would begin to address these critical issues and transform our food system in a way that benefits animals, farmers, the public, and the environment by phasing out the largest factory farms, incentivizing the transition to either crop production or higher-welfare farming, and shifting power from multinational corporations to small- and mid-sized family farms.”
Some of the language seems more like sugar-coating animal rights extremists’ plans to limit agriculture even further. Beef and dairy industries advocate, Tara Vander Dussen, who owns and runs New Mexico Milkmaid, shared her thoughts on the toxic legislation on her social media pages.
“Farm System Reform Act is a blatant attempt by animal activists to control and limit animal agriculture and our food system.
There simply is no other way to put it. They want to control our farms and limit what we can do and the number of cows we have. This will cause massive price increases for meat and milk as well as shortages.
I have said it before and I will say it again. There is no such thing as a factory farm. And herd size does not determine animal welfare or environmental practices.
This bill specifically targets CAFOs over 1000 head. But what will stop them from limiting farms more and more? When we know their end goal is to end all animal agriculture regardless of size or animal care?
This is why we MUST stand up to animal activists. This is why we all MUST do a better job of sharing about agriculture. All types, all sizes, all of it.
Now more than ever before animal agriculture needs to present a united front.
*An interesting thing about this bill that focuses a lot on beef… the sponsor and co-sponsors are not even from the top 10 beef producing states. This bill is out of their lane.They do not represent the majority of cattle producers.”
Readers are encouraged to stay up-to-date on this possible bill, and to continue to advocate for less regulation from activists who do not have the interest of the rancher, farmer, or animals in mind.
