The decisions leaders make in Washington, DC, and state capitals all around the country impact our way of life every day in so many different ways. As the 119th Congress officially embarks on a new session, it’s also the beginning of a lot of relationship building for many National Pork Producers Council staff members.
A Voice for Pork Producers
“Everybody pays attention to the new president as they should, but you’re also getting all these new folks in Congress,” says Josh Scramlin, regional director of producer services for NPPC. “On Jan. 3, 63 new members were welcomed to the House of Representatives. If there are 435 members in the House, and 63 of them are brand new, that’s a large percentage of folks our team in Washington, DC, are trying to meet. There are also 100 U.S. senators, and 12 of those senators are new as well.”
Not only will NPPC staff be working with the pre-existing relationships they already have, but Scramlin says they will also be identifying new relationships to foster and develop.
“I know we’re beating a dead horse when we say, ‘You’ve got to tell your story.’ However, when somebody is elected to Congress, they are paying attention to all these issues,” Scramlin says. “And the pork industry, even though it’s our lives, is just a little sliver in the grand scheme of everything they’re paying attention to. So, it’s incumbent upon us to get in and talk with those folks.”
The World Keeps Spinning
If there’s one message that Scramlin would like to get across to producers right now, it’s to be politically engaged.
“I know when people hear the word politics, they’re like, ‘ugh,’” he says. “Cable news is very exhausting. I get that. But things are happening, whether we are there or not. Continue to be engaged. I try to practice what I preach. I serve on my county Farm Bureau board because grassroots policy involvement makes a difference.”
One of the topics that NPPC continues to seek producer insight on is labor. Scramlin communicates with producers on a day-to-day basis. He says the question he gets asked most is also about labor.
“Keep us updated on the good, the bad and the ugly of labor, because we have our folks in Washington, DC, that are working with the proper agencies to make sure that we do have access to labor,” he says. “As you know, it is really difficult to operate farms if you don’t have people to work on your farms.”
Wins to Build On
The pork industry was able to notch some victories in the 2024 election in Sonoma County, Calif., and the city of Denver. Scramlin says it’s something that deserves attention.
“For example, if you’re living in downtown Denver, you’re going to feel eons away from production agriculture,” he points out. “Well, they stood up against animal activists and said, ‘No, we are going to side with the workers in this factory. We are going to side with production agriculture.’ A ballot initiative was trying to basically phase out a processing facility in Denver. But 65% of people said we don’t agree with that and voted it down. That’s fantastic.”
A similar result took place in Sonoma County, Calif., where a group was trying to ban confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
“About 85% of voters in Sonoma County said, ‘No, we do not agree with that.’ The pork industry was very involved in that process. We have seen when things don’t go your way, how bad it can be. So even though there’s not a single hog operation or commercial CAFO operation in Sonoma County, our producers saw the value in being involved there.”
The collective power of producer voices and NPPC staff is making a difference in Washington, DC, and in states across the country. Learn more about how your voice can make a difference in this podcast with NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys.
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