By Trish Svoboda

This week, bipartisan legislation was put forward with the assistance of Representative Sharice Davids. This legislation aims to safeguard the food and agriculture supply chain of the United States, thereby mitigating disruptions that lead to increased grocery prices. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have intensified supply chain problems, causing a surge in grocery prices. The legislation also tackles the expanding influence of China in vital agricultural sectors, to preserve America’s access to essential resources, maintain agricultural productivity, and ensure the security of domestic food supplies.

Farmers in America are responsible for the world’s most secure and abundant food supply, utilizing agricultural technologies to enhance farming productivity, combat diseases and drought, and preserve the environment. Still, our national security is at risk due to China’s increasing control over these technologies.

The bipartisan Securing American Agriculture Act stipulates that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is mandated to carry out an annual review to assess the agricultural input supply chains in America that are susceptible to exploitation by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the present domestic production capacity for certain critical inputs, and existing and potential obstacles in the food and agriculture supply chain. It also mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to suggestions to counter potential risks from the People’s Republic of China and propose legislative and regulatory measures to diminish obstacles to domestic production of critical inputs.

“During the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and reliance on foreign-made goods led to higher grocery prices and uncertainty for the farmers and producers in Kansas who contribute to our state’s largest economic engine,” said Davids. “Despite recent progress in strengthening our supply chains, grocery costs still must come down for hardworking families. The Securing American Agriculture Act is another bipartisan step toward lowering those prices and building an economy that works for everyone, especially for the middle- and working classes.”