From Washington, D.C., to state capitals across the country, lawmakers and regulators are weighing sweeping policy changes that could reshape nutrition guidance, food definitions, additive requirements, and even the ability to raise livestock.
The risk is significant: pork losing its proper place as a beloved and nutrient-dense part of American diets.
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) continues to proactively influence policy decisions to ensure the nation’s food supply and Americans’ well-being are based on sound science.
Here are the key food policies NPPC has impacted over the past year.
Pork “front and center on the plate” in new dietary guidelines
Every five years, the White House updates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which shape federal nutrition program standards and guide recommendations from health professionals.
NPPC worked with Trump administration officials to ensure the guidelines were grounded in sound science, recognized the unique nutritional benefits of animal-based protein, and affirmed pork’s essential role in a healthy American diet. As a result, the final guidelines encouraged a variety of animal-based protein foods, including pork, as a central part of the revised recommendations.
A fair, comprehensive strategy to define ‘ultra-processed foods
The debates over federal dietary guidelines and what defines an ‘ultra-processed food’ (UPF) are intrinsically linked together. Consumers are left to sort through confusing and often misleading advice. The ultimate outcome of a UPF definition is to positively impact the nutrition of consumers; however, the definitions miss the mark. Instead of focusing on the importance of nutrition, UPF definitions only use processing as an indicator for nutrition. This is incredibly damaging, as many nutrient-dense foods such as pork would be labeled UPF.
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration works to develop UPF guidance, NPPC has urged the agency to prioritize nutritional composition while preserving processing methods and ingredients that support nutrient bioavailability, food safety, and shelf stability. Mislabeling minimally processed pork products — a nutrient-dense source of high-quality protein — as UPFs could have far-reaching consequences for the pork industry and Americans’ health.
Protecting safe, effective production techniques and tools
Policymakers in D.C. and state capitals are considering major nutrition policy changes affecting ingredients, additives, and production tools across the food chain.
As states adopt their own food ingredient rules, some stricter than federal standards, concerns are growing over a patchwork of conflicting compliance obligations. As part of a broad food-chain coalition, NPPC pressed Congress to establish a science-based national framework for FDA oversight that can help avoid unnecessary compliance costs for producers and higher food prices for consumers while assuring Americans that only proven-safe ingredients are in the foods they buy.
American agriculture is the foundation for a healthy nation. The hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of America’s pig farmers is an important part of the story. We are committed to protecting pork’s proper place on the plate to ensure producers continue to contribute to the health and well-being of future generations of Americans.
Dr. Ashley Johnson is director of food policy for the National Pork Producers Council.
