Commentary: Five Suggestions for the Trump Administration

Op-ed Originally Appeared in Meatingplace

A weekend of galas and parties in DC has culminated in the Presidential Inauguration. During his speech, President Trump announced a return to common sense and putting America first. Below are some recommendations on steps his team can take to support American farmers, while also helping consumers who have been slammed by higher food prices over the past four years.

1) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services should review the previous administration’s approval of lab-grown meat. Consumers have serious concerns about the experimental product—including a lack of long-term health studies. The use of immortalized cells, which can replicate in perpetuity, is particularly unsettling because the behavior is similar to that of a tumor.

2) Pete Hegseth should immediately reverse all Department of Defense programs that seek to fund the development of experimental lab-grown and fake meat products—with the purpose of feeding it to our war fighters. The government should not be treating our men and women in uniform like guinea pigs.

3) Brooke Rollins, Trump’s pick for agriculture secretary, should join the bi-partisan movement to address an attempt by California to hijack the country’s food system that threatens to inflate prices for consumers. California has adopted a radical standard that outlaws certain types of veterinary-approved pork, which has—given the size of its market—created chaos for farmers in the Midwest. We need a new Farm Bill passed that includes a measure to walk back the misguided policy. It’s an idea that aligns with President Trump’s directive for agencies to address the cost of living crisis and it has bipartisan support in Congress.

4) Billy Long should be approved as the new head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The former Congressman was far ahead of his time as a critic of the Humane Society of the United States. This group has been raising hundreds of millions of dollars using a name and brand that confuses the public. Despite its name, HSUS runs zero pet shelters, is run by a former lawyer for PETA, and gives only 1% of its budget to local shelters. Long was one of the few outspoken members of Congress to call out the organization for funny business.

5) Pam Bondi should direct the Department of Justice—which houses the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—to crack down on animal rights terrorism. It can happen by better enforcing the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, a law that prohibits extremist acts such as vandalism, property damage, and trespass against farms and other businesses that use animals. Lack of proper enforcement has in recent years caused some animal rights extremists to become emboldened into thinking they can break into farms and steal animals, which they call “open rescue.” It’s not a rescue; it’s a crime. The perpetrators should be held accountable.

Over the next four years, the Trump administration will have an opportunity to support the American farmers who helped to deliver an electoral victory. Meanwhile, the radical animal rights movement—which supported Kamala Harris hoping her administration would advance an anti-agriculture policy agenda—should be denied a seat at the table.

Jack Hubbard is the Executive Director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare.