EATS Act would overrides state protections for animals

I urge Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, to oppose the EATS Act, recently reintroduced as the Food Security and Farm Protection Act (S. 1326), which puts the interests of the factory farming industry over the well-being of animals, consumers, and independent farmers.

The EATS Act would undermine critical state-level protections for animals, such as those found in California’s Proposition 12, which restricts cruel confinement practices in factory farming. By overriding such laws, the EATS Act prioritizes the bottom line of industrial agriculture, which frequently exploits animals and cuts corners on animal welfare.

Consumers would also pay a price should the EATS Act become law, as it would restrict states’ ability to enforce food safety standards, making it harder to ensure the quality and safety of the products we consume. Worse yet, small-scale and sustainable farmers would be further disadvantaged by this bill, as it disproportionately benefits large corporations that prioritize profits over ethical practices and environmental sustainability.

The EATS Act is a big win for Big Ag, and a big loss for the rest of us. I hope our federal lawmakers will protect the state of Washington by opposing this harmful bill.

Kaylee Botting

Seattle