I proudly served my country as a US Marine for eight years at Camp Lejeune. My wife served in the US Army for four years in Germany. As a proud veteran who dedicated years of my life in service to our country, my commitment to serving my nation continues in a new form. Alongside my wife, I now serve our country as a small family farmer. Transitioning from my military service to the agricultural sector, we have embraced the role of cultivating and nurturing the land, providing sustenance to our community and contributing to the economic well-being of our nation. This journey from defender to provider has allowed us to continue serving our country in a profound and meaningful way, upholding the values of hard work, dedication, and selflessness that we hold dear.
Presently, I dedicate myself to the care of pigs, contributing to the economic vitality of our nation and safeguarding Americans’ control over the food we consume. However, an imminent legislation poses a serious threat to the fundamental sovereignty we hold dear. I am referring to the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, a detrimental bill introduced by Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas and Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Iowa.
This Act presents a severe risk to the state laws that help American farming families like mine. What’s more alarming is its potential to throw open our agricultural gates to foreign corporations, granting them the power to operate virtually unregulated. If this Act were to pass, it would undermine hardworking American farmers and relegate us to the sidelines, overshadowed by multinational giants.
As someone who has dedicated considerable time to safeguarding American interests abroad, I view this proposed Act as an assault on our nation’s integrity. If the EATS Act were to pass, it would be like a betrayal from the very country I have fought tirelessly to defend.
To the honorable members of Congress, I beseech you: let us remember that our nation’s agricultural foundation extends beyond mere crops and livestock—it embraces the resilient men and women who toil ceaselessly to ensure a robust and reliable food supply. We are the individuals who, having served our country in various capacities, have wholeheartedly committed ourselves to feeding Americans.
Supporting the EATS Act and permitting its inclusion in the Farm Bill would jeopardize the very individuals who guarantee our access to sustenance. It would equate to relinquishing control of our food production—a vital component of our nation’s security—to foreign corporations that are driven largely by financial gain.
I implore our members of Congress to unite with us. Both soldiers and farmers serve to protect and uplift Americans and our homeland. I hope Congress will prioritize American family farms over foreign corporations. And I hope they’ll stand behind us to reject the EATS Act.
Nate Allanach
Middletown
