National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) board member Bob Ivey, a producer from Goldsboro, N.C., and NPPC economist Holly Cook recently presented to members of Congress on the economic and on-farm impacts of California Proposition 12 and Massachusetts Question 3, which prohibit the sale of pork in those states from sows raised in housing that does not meet their arbitrary standards.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) hosted this bipartisan roundtable discussion on the implications of Prop 12 and Question 3.
“Chairman Thompson has repeatedly said he will include language in the committee’s Farm Bill that would fix Prop 12 and Question 3, pre-empting the measures by prohibiting states and localities from regulating the means and methods of agricultural production outside their borders,” NPPC wrote in Capital Update
NPPC supports Thompson’s efforts to address the issues caused by the two ballot initiatives. USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist recently analyzed data and found that Prop 12 already has raised pork prices for California consumers and decreased pork sales volumes in the state. Pork loins, ribs and bellies have seen an average 20% price increase since before July 1, 2023 — when the initiative was partially implemented — with loin prices averaging 41% higher than before Prop 12 implementation, NPPC wrote.
“For most pork producers, complying with these measures means costly renovations or new construction, adding to the financial strain after significant losses in 2023. Additionally, allowing these laws to stand could pave the way for similar regulations in other states, leading to a fragmented regulatory landscape nationwide,” NPPC wrote.
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