Ejecting Ejiao from the American Market

The Ejiao Act (HR 5544), led by Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), was reintroduced in September to protect donkeys from the inhumane trade in their hides. Donkey hides are boiled to produce a gelatin known as “ejiao” that is used in traditional Chinese medicines and added to supplements, aphrodisiacs, cosmetics, and food items. An estimated 5 million donkeys are killed each year due to the global demand for such products. The bipartisan Ejiao Act would prohibit the sale and trade of ejiao products in the United States, as well as the export of donkeys for ejiao production.

The United States imports an estimated $12 million in ejiao products annually; ending the sale of ejiao domestically would help clamp down on a brutal industry that is decimating donkey populations worldwide. In July, AWI commissioned a national survey through The Harris Poll that found 83 percent of Americans strongly agree that the production of ejiao raises animal welfare concerns, and 80 percent agree that the steep decline in global donkey populations due to increasing demand for this gelatin is unacceptable. The poll likewise showed strong support for federal legislation to ensure that the United States no longer contributes to the production and trade of ejiao.

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