Family Farms Aren't For Sale, Eric Schmitt

If you head to Eric Schmitt’s campaign website and click on “Issues,” one of the first things you’ll see is “A Proven Record.” In this section Schmitt claims to have “fought for justice for Missourians against…the Communist Party of China.” He also promises that, if elected, he will be “Holding China Accountable” and “Protecting America First.”

However, these claims don’t match the fact that Schmitt voted twice to allow China to buy Missouri farmland. If Schmitt has “a proven record” of “[fighting] for justice for Missourians against…the Communist Party of China,” then he wouldn’t have given up our farms. As Missourians, we know that “farm” doesn’t just mean land. Our farms are valuable, not simply because they provide us with nourishment, but also because they belong to our families.

My family has farmed the same land for over 130 years, and our farm is recognized by Missouri as a Missouri Century Farm. My mom tells me stories of driving up to the farm on weekends as a kid, hanging out of the bed of the truck with her cousins, and walking down the road from her grandparent’s house to see which members of her family were home. The first time I went to the farm, my mom explained how the land was split up: which of her aunts and uncles lived where, and who had inherited the land when they died. The farm stays in the family.

An aerial view of my family farm outside of Cameron, Missouri

My roommate’s family farm is sacred – that’s where her family is buried and where most of her relatives live. When her family found out that they didn’t technically own the land their cemetery was on, they were devastated. How much worse would they feel if they found out that China owned their cemetery instead of a family friend who ceded the land?

Part of my roommate's family farm outside of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri

As Missourians, we should be furious that Eric Schmitt allowed almost 150,000 acres of farmland to be sold to China. If he wants the agricultural vote, he’s going to have to do a lot more than say that he’ll protect America from China; he’s going to have to protect America from himself.

If Missouri’s values are exploiting farmers, accepting campaign contributions from foreign investors, and having no care for the people around you, Eric Schmitt is on the right path. However, as a sixth-generation Missourian on my mom’s side, I can say with confidence that the “values” Schmitt is fighting for aren't Missouri's. Missourians care about their communities. We want family farms to stay family farms, and we don’t want Eric Schmitt.

Trudy Busch Valentine knows the value of a family farm – she owns one herself. In a statement released to the press on September 27, Valentine said, “As someone who’s owned a Missouri farm for more than 30 years, I’ll always work in the Senate to put family farmers over China.” Trudy Busch Valentine is the Senator that Missouri needs. She knows Missouri values and is actively working to protect them – Eric Schmitt doesn’t even mention farms on his campaign website. If you want a Senator that will stand up for your values, your family, and your livelihood, vote for Trudy Busch Valentine on November 8th.