Majority of Missourians Support Stricter Measures Against Chinese Influence

Legislation in Missouri is currently being considered to protect the weed-killer product Roundup from lawsuits. A recent poll in Missouri reveals that a majority of people do not want to give China influence over the U.S. food supply or Missouri elections.

The poll, conducted by Tyson Group and shared exclusively with Newsmax before its official release, shows concerns that China could impact the Missouri governor’s race and the U.S. food supply.

Missourians strongly support the legislation aimed at safeguarding Roundup from lawsuits that could potentially lead to a Chinese company taking over the market if the U.S. manufacturer goes out of business.

Roundup has faced criticism for its potential link to cancer, although manufacturer Bayer denies claims that its key ingredient, glyphosate, causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bayer has already paid a significant amount to settle legal claims against it and has set aside billions of dollars for this purpose.

If the legislation in Missouri does not pass, there is a risk that Roundup could be forced out of business, opening the door for a Chinese competitor to take over the market.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is supporting the legislation that has already passed the Missouri House and is heading to the state Senate. Ashcroft is also a candidate for governor in the upcoming GOP primary, where he currently holds a significant lead.

In the gubernatorial poll:

1. Ashcroft 36%
2. Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe 11%
3. State Sen. Bill Eigel 3%

Other candidates polled at 2% or lower, with 40% of voters still undecided.

The Tyson Group President and CEO Ryan Tyson stated, “While Jay Ashcroft has a sizable lead in Missouri’s gubernatorial primary, the race is far from over due to the high number of undecided voters at this point. Missourians are particularly concerned about China’s influence on our supply chain, and candidates who do not take a firm stance against the CCP could face challenges.”

Republican primary voters in Missouri overwhelmingly support efforts to limit China’s influence, with the majority backing legislation to protect Roundup from lawsuits.

Additional poll findings include:

• 77% support government backing for U.S. companies to reduce reliance on Chinese technology, pharmaceuticals, and transportation.
• 76% support a ban on Chinese nationals purchasing U.S. farmland.
• 70% support a restriction on Chinese-made drones by federal and state governments.
• 66% support restricting American taxpayer funds from the Confucius Institute.
• 64% support increased oversight on companies doing business in China.

Missouri conservatives are in favor of decreasing China’s control over the U.S. food supply, with 79% agreeing that reliance on countries like China for essential food supply ingredients poses risks to health and safety.

Furthermore, 71% of voters stated they would be less likely to support a gubernatorial candidate who voted to outsource a key ingredient of the food supply to China.

Both Kehoe and Eigel may soon be voting on whether to outsource the production of weed-killer to China.

The poll surveyed 500 likely Republican primary voters from April 23-26, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.