What is the EATS act?

[rachels.haven]

Has anyone heard of or could summarize the EATS act? I got an email about it this morning and this is the first I've heard of it. The email said it came out of Iowa senators and is a threat to small agriculture. Beyond that...idk.

The Google search does not like it. Nothing but telling people to oppose it from various groups.

 

[Mini Horses]

Congress.gov
https://www.congress.gov › bill › se...
S.1488 - EATS Act of 2023 118th Congress (2023-2024)

Didn't read but had to do with SNAP benefits ?

 

[Finnie]

Hm. I just googled it, and there are a few different “acts” with the acronym eats. Can you post a screen shot of (part of) the email so we know exactly what it was referring to?

 

[Finnie]

This one I found looks like a good thing on the surface. I did not yet read any further than this screenshot.

Edited to add the actual link to that page.

Sen. Marshall Announces Introduction of EATS Act to Ensure State’s Autonomy over Agricultural Practices - Senator Roger Marshall

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., alongside Senators Chuck Grassley, John Cornyn, Tom Cotton, Deb Fischer, Kevin Cramer, Joni Ernst, Eric Schmitt, Ted Budd, and Bill Hagerty introduced legislation that preserves the right of states and local units of government to...

www.marshall.senate.gov

That seems to be one side of the story. I do wonder if there is hidden fine print to be wary of, or if there are other provisions of the act that would be detrimental. But the long list of endorsements on that page sound convincing.

 

[rachels.haven]

I think it's Baymules.
Here's the email.
The question is, does it matter?
For context, I think the lady's number is a California one so this may not be relevant for over here.

 

[Baymule]

First I’ve heard of it. It is in positive language, but it is probably against small producers and people could wind up with a CAFO at their back door and nothing they could do about it.

 

[rachels.haven]

 

[farmerjan]

I have read this 3 times. Anyone that thinks this is a way to "protect" small farms in Tenn or other places had better read it more closely. There are things I don't agree with... and I am not all for CAFO's in some instances, but they are one way that food still is "cheap" in this country and they have their place.
Reading carefully, it is basing it's objections to places like CA IMPOSING their standards of agriculture on EVERY other farming operation in any and ALL other states for a product to be sold within their borders. So, what is acceptable farming practices in Kansas, or Tenn, or any other AGRICULTURALLY prominent state... and it doesn't meet the CA restrictive standards... will not be allowed to be sold in Calf...... and can open the way for their standards to become the RULE in this country....
I am not against organic farming... natural or holistic methods... but to say that I cannot grow food that is LEGALLY acceptable in Kansas, and merchandise it in Calf is another little step to the total control of things. It is going in the direction of they will not allow any gas powered ANYTHING to be sold in the state... only electric vehicles.... fines if you do not comply..... no gas powered lawn mowers or riding mowers or anything like that... no chain saws or anything that is not battery powered... NO tractors unless battery powered... no herbicides or insecticides or anything to be used on any crops... NOTHING unless Calf restrictions are met...
Tell me WTF a farmer is going to do when that big fancy battery powered tractor shuts down... it is going to rain, they cannot get the battery changed to a "charged one" even if they had a spare... and the crop is going to be damaged or lost with it pouring down in 2 hours????? And when the grid is shut down with blackouts or brownouts because there is not enough capacity to charge those tractors for use the next day....
Where does this lead to???? Calf is destroying their agriculture base now.... but they sure don't consider where the lost food is going to come from....
This is not an "anti small farm" bill... this is an "anti-control by zealots" bill that is saying that just because you do not want some things in Calf done this way, that you cannot tell me that I cannot sell a FINISHED product in Calf because you don't agree with what I did in a perfectly legal manner to grow and produce it in Kansas....
If a person does not want to buy it in Calf because it does not meet that individual's personal "standards"... then don't buy it... but don't tell me that I cannot use a farming method in Kansas that is legal and meets all the rules and restrictions in KS when I grew it, get it processed and then I cannot market it and sell it in Calf....
This is a slippery slope.... if people don't want those products in Calf... then don't buy them... the market will dictate that they will not be profitable for the company to market them there...

I may be missing something and intend to study on it more... but it is basically saying that one state should not have the right to impose their own standards on another states' right to farm rules and laws...

 

[Finnie]

I have read this 3 times. Anyone that thinks this is a way to "protect" small farms in Tenn or other places had better read it more closely. There are things I don't agree with... and I am not all for CAFO's in some instances, but they are one way that food still is "cheap" in this country and they have their place.
Reading carefully, it is basing it's objections to places like CA IMPOSING their standards of agriculture on EVERY other farming operation in any and ALL other states for a product to be sold within their borders. So, what is acceptable farming practices in Kansas, or Tenn, or any other AGRICULTURALLY prominent state... and it doesn't meet the CA restrictive standards... will not be allowed to be sold in Calf...... and can open the way for their standards to become the RULE in this country....
I am not against organic farming... natural or holistic methods... but to say that I cannot grow food that is LEGALLY acceptable in Kansas, and merchandise it in Calf is another little step to the total control of things. It is going in the direction of they will not allow any gas powered ANYTHING to be sold in the state... only electric vehicles.... fines if you do not comply..... no gas powered lawn mowers or riding mowers or anything like that... no chain saws or anything that is not battery powered... NO tractors unless battery powered... no herbicides or insecticides or anything to be used on any crops... NOTHING unless Calf restrictions are met...
Tell me WTF a farmer is going to do when that big fancy battery powered tractor shuts down... it is going to rain, they cannot get the battery changed to a "charged one" even if they had a spare... and the crop is going to be damaged or lost with it pouring down in 2 hours????? And when the grid is shut down with blackouts or brownouts because there is not enough capacity to charge those tractors for use the next day....
Where does this lead to???? Calf is destroying their agriculture base now.... but they sure don't consider where the lost food is going to come from....
This is not an "anti small farm" bill... this is an "anti-control by zealots" bill that is saying that just because you do not want some things in Calf done this way, that you cannot tell me that I cannot sell a FINISHED product in Calf because you don't agree with what I did in a perfectly legal manner to grow and produce it in Kansas....
If a person does not want to buy it in Calf because it does not meet that individual's personal "standards"... then don't buy it... but don't tell me that I cannot use a farming method in Kansas that is legal and meets all the rules and restrictions in KS when I grew it, get it processed and then I cannot market it and sell it in Calf....
This is a slippery slope.... if people don't want those products in Calf... then don't buy them... the market will dictate that they will not be profitable for the company to market them there...

I may be missing something and intend to study on it more... but it is basically saying that one state should not have the right to impose their own standards on another states' right to farm rules and laws...

That was my take on it, too.

 

[Mini Horses]

and it doesn't meet the CA restrictive standards... will not be allowed to be sold in Calf...... and can open the way for their standards to become the RULE in this country....

Well, I'm not sure it will change others standards BUT, pretty sure it will create more limited food supplies in CA. There are all other states for producers to provide, plus exports. The residents of CA will be the losers. I mean, really, will Del Monte change everything for one state of sales? No.

I haven't read it, just thinking about the post right now. Guess I'll read it tomorrow morn, with my coffee 🤣