U.S. farmers and ranchers are currently operating under 2018 policies, and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) says those 2018 policies are no match for 2026 challenges.
“There’s no better example than California’s Proposition 12 and the issue it is causing for the swine industry,” Thompson told pork producers at the Illinois Swine Mixer on Feb. 17. “Like the farm bill we passed out of committee in 2024, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 includes a fix to Prop 12. At the end of day, it’s not common sense to allow a small percentage of California voters to dictate how someone in Illinois or anywhere else in the country raises their animals.”
He says the House Agriculture Committee has been busy preparing the farm bill by “using what God has given us – that’s two ears and one mouth – with the dedication to listening at least twice as much as what we speak.”
They have traveled to 43 different states and one territory, holding more than 150 listening sessions.
“We’ve done this from the perspective of legislating from the outside in,” Thompson says. “Agriculture is anything but typical. We work on your behalf. That’s why we came out on farms and ranches, and we sat down and talked to people to find out, maybe not what you wanted, but what you needed.”
We Need a Farm Bill Now
As the House Agriculture Committee prepares to meet on Feb. 23 to review the 803-page document, Thompson says he’s hopeful they can get this passed through the House by Easter, April 5.
“I think the odds are pretty darn good, and the need is even greater when you look at the financial stresses on the American farmer and rancher today,” he says. “We have to get this done.”
Thompson says he wants farmers and ranchers to know that they recognize how bad things are right now. But most importantly, he wants them to know they care.
“Those are not just empty words,” Thompson says. “We’ve been working really hard, actually for a couple years, to prepare what will be one of the most effective farm bills. With 20% of it already approved with a $66 billion investment, we’re really putting our actions to where our words are. There are more good things to happen with what we’re going to mark up next week. We know how bad things are, we recognize that, but we’re working to do something about that.”
Prop 12 Is Causing More Problems
Despite these challenging times in agriculture, Thompson is proud of how many U.S. pork producers have adapted to capture the Prop 12 market, but he said some are finding they don’t have quite the market now because people are eating less pork in California, a state known for its pork consumption.
Food affordability is just one of the reasons why he has worked so hard to find a fix for Prop 12 in the farm bill.
“In California today, I’m told there are grocery stores that now sell bacon by the slice and not the slab because people can’t afford it,” he explains. “Consumption of pork products has dropped because affordability has been reduced significantly. The cost has gone up. People who are struggling financially probably aren’t eating pork products at all, and those middle class are making decisions and maybe choosing other proteins they’re able to get more for their money.”
Most importantly, Prop 12 is a slippery slope. One state should not impose agricultural practices on other states, he says.
“Constitutionally, it’s just wrong,” Thompson says. “The Supreme Court said this is something Congress should do, and so we’re doing it. If you allow this to stand, the question is, what will come next in terms of overriding agriculture or animal science with political science?”
Beyond the Farm Bill: Labor and USMCA
While the farm bill continues to be Thompson’s main focus right now, he is also focused on agricultural labor and the renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement. One of the most common requests he gets from farmers is about reforming the agricultural labor system.
“I organized an ag labor working group in the last Congress to have the hard conversations about what was working and what wasn’t,” he says. “We needed certainty. We needed reliability. Without workforce, we have food insecurity. With food insecurity, we have national insecurity. The implications of that are significant.”
The bipartisan group of eight Republicans and eight Democrats developed “practical solutions that work on both sides of the aisle.” In the end, the final report included 15 solutions recommended unanimously by the working group and informed by producers and processors who testified before the committee.
He says they are putting the finishing touches on the discussion draft, which looks very similar to the recommendations that came out of this working group. The three topics addressed regarding the H-2A visa program are expanding access to include year-round for the livestock industry, controlling costs and streamlining the overall process.
“The goal is to put out a discussion draft after we’re done with the victory celebration of at least passing the farm bill out of the House Committee,” he says. “I don’t want to let it hang out there long because it is critically important. We need to get moving, but we will probably give at least three weeks of opportunity for input in a discussion draft. We’ll take those comments back, make some final tweaks if needed or if indicated, and then we’ll get the bill introduced.”
On the trade front, he says USMCA has been a great benefit to American agriculture, resulting in over $60 billion in exports to Canada and Mexico since it was signed into law. For the pork industry alone, these exports represent a 66% increase in value since enactment, he adds.
“I know the agreement’s not perfect, and there are various things I’d like to see addressed during this negotiation,” Thompson says. “But more importantly, I’d like to know from you as we go forward what you would like to see in this renegotiation.”
Don’t Be Quiet Now
Farmer and rancher input is always of great value to legislators, but especially now.
“Your voice matters and you have a role to play in getting a new farm bill across the line,” Thompson says. “Find time in your busy schedules to stand up and speak out. Send emails, make phone calls, reach out to your congressional delegation. We’ve got a lot on our hands in 2026 in the ag committee, but I want you to know we are on your side and will keep fighting for you every day in Congress.”
