USA – A new legislative effort is underway to address the U.S.’s growing dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly China, for critical agricultural inputs like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in animal feed and pet food production.
The Securing American Agriculture Act (S. 5277), introduced in the U.S. Senate, seeks to fortify the domestic food and agriculture supply chain to prevent potential disruptions that could threaten national food security.
The bill follows the introduction of its companion bill, H.R. 8003, in the House of Representatives in April. This bill aims to reduce the U.S.’s reliance on global suppliers for essential nutrients crucial for animal health and productivity.
If passed, the legislation would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in partnership with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual review of global supply chain markets and assess potential vulnerabilities in the supply of agricultural inputs.
This includes evaluating the risks posed by reliance on the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which has gained a significant market share in producing vitamins and amino acids.
China currently dominates the global production of key vitamins, including B1, B3, B7, B12, D3, and K. These vitamins account for nearly 78% of U.S. vitamin imports.
According to the office of Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), who co-sponsored the bill, this heavy reliance on China poses a national security threat.
Disruptions in China’s supply chain could drastically impact U.S. agriculture by reducing productivity, increasing food prices, and undermining domestic food security.
The bill aims to mitigate these risks by promoting domestic production of these essential inputs and diversifying the supply chain.
“America’s food and agriculture system is highly dependent on a limited number of suppliers for essential nutrients such as vitamins and amino acids, which play a crucial role in animal production and overall health,” said Constance Cullman, President and CEO of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). “This highlights the critical need to diversify the United States’ supply sources.”
The legislation mandates that the USDA, U.S. Trade Representative, and the Department of Commerce annually assess critical agricultural input supply chains that foreign adversaries could exploit, identify current bottlenecks, and evaluate domestic production capacity for these key ingredients.
Based on these findings, the Secretary of Agriculture would then provide recommendations on mitigating potential threats from the PRC and propose regulatory or legislative actions to enhance domestic production.
Cullman further emphasized the importance of this bill, warning that disruptions in the global supply chain could have catastrophic consequences for animal welfare and food security.
“Our domestic livestock and pets cannot live without essential vitamins, amino acids, or minerals necessary for their healthy growth, development, and productivity,” she noted.
“The U.S. animal food industry stands ready to work together to diversify the U.S. food supply chain and explore alternatives now to avoid catastrophic repercussions.”
In addition to securing critical nutrients, the bill also reflects broader concerns about the U.S. agriculture industry’s vulnerability to external supply chain shocks. Recent global supply chain issues have underscored the risks of over-reliance on single sources for vital inputs.
The Securing American Agriculture Act aims to safeguard the U.S. agricultural industry from future disruptions that could compromise food security, economic stability, and animal welfare by incentivising domestic production and ensuring supply chain resilience.
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