# Understanding the Ejiao Act of 2023

This bill would ban the buying, selling, and importing of donkey skins and products made from them in the United States. Specifically, it targets a gelatin called ejiao, which comes from donkey hides and is used in traditional Chinese medicine, beauty products, and luxury goods. If passed, you wouldn't be able to purchase, sell, or transport donkeys or donkey hides intended for ejiao production, and the same rules would apply to any finished products containing ejiao—including online purchases.

The bill exists because of a global crisis affecting donkey populations, particularly in Africa and Latin America. The demand for ejiao has exploded as China's middle class has grown wealthier, creating a market worth roughly $12 million annually in U.S. imports alone. To meet this demand, millions of donkeys are slaughtered each year—up to 1,000 per day in Kenya alone. This has devastated communities that depend on donkeys for farming, transporting water, getting to market, and other survival needs. In some cases, donkeys are stolen from families who can't afford to replace them. The bill notes that China's own donkey population has collapsed by 76 percent since 1992, forcing companies to source animals from poorer countries where enforcement is weak.

The law would impose serious consequences for violations. Companies or individuals caught importing, selling, or purchasing ejiao products could face civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation. Criminal penalties are steeper: importing or selling ejiao products worth more than $350 could result in fines up to $20,000 and up to five years in prison. Any donkeys, hides, or products seized would be forfeited to the government, and violators would have to pay storage and care costs. Federal agents would have broad powers to search, seize, and inspect shipments at ports and borders.

For most American consumers, this bill would simply mean that certain beauty and health products currently available would disappear from store shelves and online retailers. For companies that import or sell these products, it would require them to either reformulate using alternative gelatin sources (which the bill notes are already available) or stop selling them entirely. Some U.S. companies have already voluntarily removed ejiao products, but others continue to sell them, which is why supporters argue federal action is necessary.