Amino Acids

Amino acids are vital components of human nutrition and animal feed. They are specifically used by farmers in animal feed to balance the diet of livestock, such as pork and poultry, improve animal health and reduce pollution in our air and water.

If our domestic production of amino acids disintegrates over time, as intended by China’s exports of cheap subsidized amino acids into the United States, economists estimate that nearly 30,000 American agricultural jobs would be destroyed with domestic GDP reduced by $15 billion a year. Once domestic producers have been forced out, China will dictate the trade in another vital ingredient in the U.S. food supply system (see the vitamins industry).

Beijing’s intention is to degrade U.S. production of amino acids. If this happens, then our poultry and pork producers will become dependent on China for these ingredients. This dumping of cheap products into our market not only violates trade laws but also exposes our pork and poultry supply chain to Chinese influence.