COMPETITIVE-MARKETS-ACTION

Edward J. Markey

The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) implements a series of reforms to commodity check-off programs that are designed to reduce conflicts of interest, anti-competitive practices, and other unfair or deceptive acts. Under these programs, producers of certain products, such as beef, dairy, or poultry, are forced to pay into a fund (ex. $2 for a cow) that is used for industry research or advertising campaigns. Support is the Competitive Markets Action and Organization for Competitive Markets Position as, while government-mandated checkoff programs should be eliminated entirely, this bill serves as a step in the right direction to reducing corruption. It is the role of the private sector to voluntarily organize and fund product promotion for industry, not for big producers to utilize government to financially coerce small producers to fund their activities.

Implementing Critical Reforms to Reduce Corruption within the Crony Commodity Checkoff Programs Mandated by Government.

The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) prevents state and local governments from tailoring agricultural regulations to the unique circumstances and needs facing their regions. Instead, the bill provides the federal government full control to set a universal standard across the entire country. Oppose is Competitive Markets Action and Organization for Competitive Markets Position as state and local governments are best equipped to set agriculture policy rather than the federal government through one size-fits-all mandates and central planning tactics. Furthermore, the bill merely fuels China's takeover of U.S. agriculture by making it easier for Chinese corporations such as Smithfield foods to grow their control and ownership of U.S. farmlands.