New Farm Bill Puts Foreign-Own Agribusiness Over Families And States

As a mother, I spend a lot of time thinking about the kind of country my children will inherit. I think about the food on our table, the values we model in our home, and the basic lesson I try to teach every day: we are responsible not only for ourselves, but for the impact we have on others. That’s why I’m deeply concerned about provisions in the House Agriculture Committee’s new Farm Bill that would strip states and families like mine of our ability to decide what standards we want attached to the food sold in our communities.

The “Save Our Bacon” Act – included in the new Farm Bill set for markup on March 3^rd – sounds perfectly harmless. After all, everybody loves bacon. But as a parent who reads beyond the title, I see something far more troubling. The bill would override state laws that set standards for how agricultural products are produced, including laws passed by voters to promote animal welfare, food safety, and ethical farming practices. (RELATED: ROLLINS: Trump admin Is Restoring Freedom To Farmers, Ranchers)

As a mom, I care about where our food comes from. I read labels. I pay attention to how animals are treated. I talk to my kids about why we choose certain products over others. In our house, those conversations are about more than nutrition. They’re about compassion, stewardship and responsibility.

When states pass laws that require animals to be raised in less cruel conditions, they’re reflecting the values of their citizens. Voters in places like California and Massachusetts have chosen to say that extreme confinement – cages so small that animals can’t even turn around – is unacceptable. They decided that if a product is going to be sold in their state, it should meet basic standards.

The “Save Our Bacon” Act, as included in the new Farm Bill, would wipe that all away.

It would allow the lowest common denominator to dictate standards nationwide. If one state permits practices that another state’s voters find inhumane or unsafe, the more permissive standard would effectively win. As a mother, that doesn’t feel like freedom. It feels like losing control over the food choices I try to make for my family.

Supporters argue that the bill protects farmers from a confusing patchwork of state regulations. I understand that farming is hard. I respect the men and women who produce our food. But we already live in a country where states set different rules on countless issues – from environmental protections to consumer safety. Businesses adapt all the time. Large agricultural producers are no exception.

More importantly, “Save Our Bacon” isn’t really about small family farms. It benefits the biggest industrial operations, including foreign owned conglomerates like China’s Smithfield Foods, which animal welfare groups claim are more likely to rely on extreme confinement and other practices that many Americans increasingly reject. Small and mid-sized farmers who have invested in higher-welfare practices could actually be undercut by competitors operating under weaker standards. It’s a race to the bottom. (RELATED: ALEX MOONEY: Congress Cooking Up Bill That Would Be Slap In The Face To Farmers, Local Governments)

As a parent, I’m also troubled by the precedent. “Save Our Bacon” would represent an extraordinary federal intrusion into states’ rights. It would prevent states from setting standards on products sold within their own borders, even when those standards reflect clear voter mandates. If Washington can nullify state decisions about agricultural standards, what’s next?

I want my children to grow up believing that their voices matter – that when citizens organize, vote, and pass laws, those decisions count. The “Save Our Bacon” Act sends the message that powerful interests can simply ask Congress to override the will of millions of voters.

Congress should reject the inclusion of the “Save Our Bacon” Act in the Farm Bill and stand up for states’ rights, consumer choice, and the values families like mine are trying to pass on to the next generation.

Aly Legge is Director of Civic Engagement for Moms for America and a strategic communications advisor working in federal and state policy.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.