POLICY

What the USDA’s FSIS Reorganization Means for Farmers and Producers

Wed, 13 May 2026 18:58:21 GMT

As USDA continues to move more jobs across the country, the organization expects fewer employees will turn down relocation offers this time around.

When USDA relocated hundreds of Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) positions to Kansas City in 2019, about 85% of impacted employees quit their jobs or retired, rather than relocate, reports Federal News Network .

The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403, representing USDA researchers, expects to see similar results this year, the article says. An internal survey found that 76% of its members have indicated they are not planning to relocate. AFGE Local 3403 said in a statement that these relocations, which are expected to go into effect by the end of the summer, will trigger a “brain drain” within the department.

The goal is to move research closer to the farmers, ranchers and rural communities who benefit from it, USDA points out.

What the FSIS Reorganization Means to You

USDA announced a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on April 23 to modernize operations, streamline support functions and better align the agency with the nation’s agricultural landscape.

As part of this effort, USDA will establish a new National Food Safety Center (NFSC) in Urbandale, Iowa, which will serve as the primary hub for FSIS administrative, technical and support operations.

“This is about building a stronger, more resilient food safety system for the country,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “By establishing a National Food Safety Center in Iowa and expanding our scientific capabilities, USDA is ensuring that the Food Safety and Inspection Service is positioned where it can best support American agriculture and protect public health. These changes reflect our commitment to modernizing the department while staying focused on delivering results for the American people.”

Dwight Mogler, an Iowa pig farmer, believes this is a positive move for U.S. agriculture and is an efficient allocation of resources.

“I get pumped when we can highlight positive things that are going on in the U.S. pork industry,” Mogler says. “The closer farms are to government entities that regulate us, the more apt they are to not only serve us from a place of understanding, but also improve their agility to recognize and respond to a crisis in real time. Proximity matters.”

Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden says this approach ensures that resources are used efficiently while maintaining the high standards the public expects from our food safety system.

A Central Hub for Food Safety Operations

FSIS plans to repurpose existing USDA space in Urbandale, Iowa, to establish the new National Food Safety Center (NFSC), which will become the agency’s largest office in the U.S. with approximately 200 employees.

The NFSC will serve as FSIS’ primary location for headquarters support functions, including resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology and administrative services. By consolidating these functions in a centrally located hub, FSIS will reduce duplication, improve coordination and expand access to career opportunities for employees across the country.

The establishment of the NFSC marks a significant shift in the agency’s operational footprint, placing key functions closer to the agricultural and food production systems that FSIS regulates and supports.

Who Does Relocation Impact?

FSIS will also establish a Science Center in Athens, Ga., building on its existing Eastern Field Services Laboratory and expanding its capabilities in microbiology, chemistry and epidemiology. FSIS will also establish a presence in Fort Collins, Colo., for staff supporting international activities, further aligning the agency with USDA’s broader geographic footprint, USDA reports.

Under the reorganization, FSIS will relocate approximately two-thirds of its National Capital Region workforce to mission-critical locations, including the National Food Safety Center in Iowa and the Science Center in Georgia. Approximately 200 positions will be relocated from Washington D.C., while roughly 100 positions will remain to support congressional engagement, policy development and interagency coordination.

The reorganization does not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce, representing 85% of employees and operating across more than 6,800 regulated establishments.

“All food safety inspection activities and public health protections will continue without interruption, and the reorganization does not include any reduction in force. All FSIS employees will retain positions within the agency,” USDA says.

Why International Trade is Vital for U.S. Pork Producers

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:01:16 GMT

May marks World Trade Month, a time to recognize the role global commerce plays in strengthening the U.S. economy. For America’s pork producers, international trade is more than a policy discussion in Washington, D.C. It is a core economic driver that contributes to the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture in a global marketplace.

Despite a tumultuous 12 months on the trade front, U.S. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Julie Callahan reassured pork producers during National Pork Industry Forum in March that the Trump administration will include “meaningful provisions to address the barriers to U.S. agricultural exports. Every single one [agreement] bar none will include agriculture.”

With more than one-quarter of U.S. pork sold to international customers, pork exports generate significant income for producers — approximately $66 per hog — and billions of dollars annually to the industry.

While the value of trade is widely recognized across agriculture, successful international partnerships don’t happen automatically.

Behind every export shipment is a complex framework of negotiations, agreements, and regulatory cooperations that allows U.S. pork to move across borders efficiently.

The National Pork Producers Council is central to the negotiations setting up these frameworks.

Trade agreements often involve detailed discussions about food safety standards, animal health regulations, and inspection systems. NPPC’s goal is twofold: secure or expand market access while preventing unnecessary regulations that could create costly barriers for U.S. producers.

In many cases, success isn’t just about what gets written into a trade agreement, but it’s also about what stays out, including requirements that could be detrimental to U.S. pork.

What’s changing under the Trump administration is the process and pace. What has historically taken years and spanned administrations to negotiate is now taking months. This underscores the importance of NPPC having a seat at the table where these negotiations are taking place, thanks to the years of forming and maintaining relationships across the U.S. and international governments.

When negotiations are successful, the benefits are substantial. Agreements are critical in removing longstanding barriers, opening doors for new opportunities, and helping maintain the U.S. pork industry’s reputation as a reliable supplier of safe, high-quality pork.

As we celebrate World Trade Month, there is one important takeaway for producers: International engagement helps stabilize the U.S. pork industry.

Markets will always shift, and global conditions will change. But by maintaining strong trade relationships and continuing to advocate for fair access abroad, we can ensure that U.S. pork remains competitive and that producers have the market opportunities they need to be successful, now and for generations to come.

Shannon McMurtrey is the senior director of international affairs for the National Pork Producers Council.

House Passes 2026 Farm Bill: The Impact on U.S. Farmers

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:22:58 GMT

With a bipartisan vote of 224-200, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7567 , the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, on April 30. In addition to extensive updates to food and agriculture programs in a budget-neutral package, this vote marks the farthest a farm bill has made it in Congress since the most recent reauthorization was signed into law in 2018.

After a series of floor debates and last-minute amendments, the bill now moves to the Senate with some notable changes, including:

Year-round E15 sales removed from bill to be voted on in two weeks
Late amendment includes language to strengthen the domestic supply of fertilizer
Pesticide liability protections were stripped from the bill

My amendment passed! Pesticide liability protections have been stripped from the farm bill. 🔥⚔️🔥
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) April 30, 2026

“Working in Congress on behalf of our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is an honor — even when the work requires debating the farm bill through the night,” says House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15). “I can think of no more important work than championing the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, and I am extremely pleased to see this bill pass out of the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote.”

With a vote of 14 Democrats in favor, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 obtained the highest number of votes from the minority party on a House farm bill since 2008. Similarly, with over 96% of the GOP Conference voting in favor, this is the highest level of Republican support for a House farm bill in history, affirming the commitment of House Republicans to rural America.

“I especially want to thank all parties who were involved in the negotiations that allowed the farm bill to proceed to the floor and secure a future vote on year-round E15,” Thompson says. “Members of the Biofuels Caucus are tireless champions for rural America, and I look forward to joining them May 13 in advancing that important legislation.”

Swift Senate Action Needed

As the bill heads to the Senate for debate, Thompson reinforces that “farm country needs updated policy” that reflects current challenges in U.S. agriculture.

“The 2026 farm bill fills that gap,” Thompson says. “I look forward to seeing Chairman Boozman and the Senate make progress on this important legislation so we can get the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 sent to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, along with all of the Democrats on the committee, says the committee looks forward to working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan Farm Bill that can be successful on the Senate floor.

“We have been clear that the Farm Bill must address the needs of American farmers and families,” Klobuchar says. “With a five-year high in small farm bankruptcies, the Farm Bill must address rising input costs, provide new opportunities for domestic markets, and fight for a trade agenda that works for everyone. Senate Democrats are committed to ensuring all states are treated equally by delaying the new SNAP cost shifts and addressing the needs of farm country.”

Pesticide Amendment Passes

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) highly debated bill passed the House, stripping the farm bill of pesticide liability provisions. Before the amendment, the bill’s original language reaffirmed EPA as the sole agency capable of determining the information listed on a pesticide label. Critics, including Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) advocates, worried the language would shield pesticide manufacturers from liability claims.

D.C. consultant Callie Eideberg, with the Vogel Group, saysthe provision’s controversy means the bill will likely have an uncertain future moving forward.

“This means that pesticide companies, the chemical companies, are now still going to be dealing with the status quo, dealing with different requirements from different states,” Eideberg says.

In a post on X, Rep. Luna reaffirmed her disapproval of glyphosate and other pesticides.

“I do not support giving blanket immunity to corporations at the expense of American families. Pesticides are linked to a 30% increase in childhood cancer and over 170 studies corroborate the evidence,” Luna says.

In a press release following the bill’s approval in the lower chamber, the Modern Ag Alliance, a group backed by chemical company Bayer and over 100 agriculture companies wrote, “Today, the House turned its back on the farmers who feed, fuel and clothe this country. By gutting common-sense crop protection provisions from the farm bill, lawmakers caved to anti-science MAHA activists instead of standing with those who grow our food.”

Iowa farmer Mark Jackson says it is “unfortunate” Congress could not give farmers support for chemical weed control products. Jackson said farmers should be allowed the “freedom to farm” and said glyphosate’s scientific approval process, and the product’s 50-year registration history make it a credible product for farmers to use.

“I think we need to rally around science, follow the science,” he adds.

Eideberg says as the bill moves to the Senate, the MAHA movement could continue to influence debates. She believes the smaller body of the Senate will bring a different dynamic to the issue.

“I think we’re going to see those MAHA influencers feeling very emboldened by this win today and pushing even harder in the Senate to get more of what they’re looking for,” she says.

Farmers Praise Passage of Farm Bill
Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower says USDA programs are important to the success of corn farmers and rural communities, particularly as growers face their fourth year of net losses and struggle with high input costs.

“We look forward to working with our allies in Congress over the next two weeks to secure passage of the E15 legislation,” Bower says. “Thanks to continued efforts on this issue from our biofuel champions, Speaker Johnson promised a vote on E15, and we refuse to allow a handful of multi-million and multi-billion-dollar energy companies to derail our efforts. Allowing the year-round sale of E15 would help our growers by expanding ethanol sales while also saving consumers money at the pump at a time when fuel prices are on the rise.”

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is looking forward to the Senate taking up the farm bill without delay as farmers face unprecedented challenges.

“The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill supports the farm safety net, preserves existing conservation programs that include opportunities for dairy and livestock producers, bolsters trade promotion programs while protecting common food names, recognizes the important role of dairy in nutrition, and supports animal health programs,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud. “All of these are important priorities to dairy farmers and the broader industry, and we appreciate the leadership shown by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other dairy champions to get this legislation through the House.”

U.S. pork producers are praising a very significant section that provides “much-needed relief from the misguided California Proposition 12 ” in addition to expanding the Animal Health Protection Act to include improving animal disease traceability and requiring thorough documentation on USDA’s ability to protect producers from significant economic losses due to a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Prop. 12 is creating uncertainty for pork producers and raising costs across the supply chain. Congress has a role to restore regulatory clarity.

It’s time for a fix. #FixProp12

🎥 Video credit: @HouseAgGOP pic.twitter.com/lkAmG1bmAw
— NPPC (@NPPC) April 30, 2026

“Today’s House farm bill passage is a testament to the power of rural America when we stand up for our farms and future generations with a unified voice,” said Rob Brenneman, National Pork Producers Council president and pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “We wholeheartedly thank our champions—House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, Rep. Ashley Hinson, and others—for not backing down from the fight for what is right for rural America. He and congressional supporters on both sides of the aisle heard our plea to help America’s pork producers.”

Eideburg points out that opposition to the farm bill pork provisions in the House are coming from several fronts.

“First, it’s coming from animal welfare groups that want to see those requirements in place,” she says. “We want to see minimum standard requirements for gestation rates. This other opposition is coming from companies and farmers who have already complied with Prop 12 and they don’t want that requirement removed because then they are going to be a) at a competitive disadvantage and b) out a ton of capital investment that they made on their to comply.”

The bill reflects many of wheat farmers’ top priorities from modernizing farm credit and safeguarding international food aid programs to enhancing export competitiveness, says National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jamie Kres.

“These provisions will help ensure America’s wheat farmers can remain resilient and globally competitive,” Kres says.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane appreciates how Thompson and House leadership took the time to listen to real farmers and ranchers.

“Instead of caving to attacks on the livestock industry from shell activist groups that impersonate real producers, a bipartisan group of lawmakers advanced a bill that will provide certainty and important policy fixes for cattle country,” Lane says. “We look forward to engaging with the Senate to advance this farm bill to the president’s desk.”

Industry Says This Farm Bill is Needed Now

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) CEO Ted McKinney says this legislation supports farmers, ranchers and consumers while providing economic growth opportunities for rural communities. H.R. 7567 prioritizes provisions that strengthen local food purchasing programs, enhance international market opportunities, reauthorize the three-legged stool for foreign animal disease prevention and preserve the viability of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says the inclusion of the Healthy Dog Importation Act is just one of the many key veterinary provisions they applaud in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. This would improve importation standards to ensure a dog is healthy when imported into the U.S., which is especially important considering New World screwworm in Mexico continues to move closer to the U.S. border.

“The AVMA applauds the House for advancing a Farm Bill that will strengthen dog importation standards, fund and assess federal programs vital to veterinary medicine, and protect the country’s animal and public health,” says Dr. Michael Q. Bailey, AVMA president. “Enacting the Farm Bill is essential to advancing research into effective recruitment and retention strategies for veterinarians serving in rural and underserved communities. With the legislation now moving to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working further with Congress and will continue to underscore the importance of including veterinary priorities in the final version of the Farm Bill.”

Now, Not Tomorrow

After voting in support of the bill, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) says, “Rural America needs a new Farm Bill now, not tomorrow. With today’s passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, House Republicans have once again reaffirmed our commitment to American agriculture and delivered for hardworking growers and producers.”

Eideburg says funding for SNAP program will likely be a major fight in the Senate. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” shifted some costs within the program to state governments. She says the funding restructure and the combined potential vote to ban soda from SNAP could cause tension in the upper chamber.

She also says year-round E15 provisions, which were taken from the farm bill and punted for a vote in the House next week, could see as much opposition in the Senate.

“This really is a big hurdle to get E15, year-round E15 over the line.”

5 Million-Strong Coalition Urges Congress to Fix Prop 12 in Farm Bill

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:27:33 GMT

With 5 million members between them, the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation led a coalition urging Congress to provide regulatory certainty for farmers across the country forced to comply with California Proposition 12.

The coalition of nearly 400 agricultural groups sent a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), detailing robust arguments opposing the extraterritorial state law.

“The massive problems caused by Prop 12 cannot be solved via regulation or executive order—it is solely Congress’ authority and responsibility to provide a solution, as noted in the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision,” the coalition says. “Prop 12 has created uncertainty across rural America, especially on small and medium-sized farms, as they have less financial ability to retrofit barns to comply with the restrictive law.”

NPPC points out that there is significant bipartisan willingness to fix Prop 12.

Trump administration Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “[Proposition 12] is not just affecting California. It’s affecting multitudes of other states, multitudes of other parts of the ag community, including our hog family farms.”
Biden administration Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said, “California’s Proposition 12 is not a narrow issue, nor is it a regional one. It goes to the heart of whether farmers across the country can operate under consistent, responsible, science-based standards—or be subject to a shifting patchwork of mandates they cannot control and cannot afford. When I served as Secretary of Agriculture the Supreme Court of the United States made clear, resolving these interstate challenges is the responsibility of Congress. I encouraged Congress to act then, and I am again encouraging Congress to act now. The farm bill presents a clear and immediate opportunity to provide that certainty and uphold the principles that have long sustained American agriculture and the affordability of our food supply.”

Prop 12 and similar laws do not improve animal welfare and lack scientific evidence, NPPC adds.

The American Veterinary Medical Association said, “the arbitrary housing requirements in Prop 12 do not objectively improve animal welfare and may unintentionally cause harm.”
Prop 12 sets the stage for an unworkable 50-state patchwork of laws.
A proposal in Oklahoma would increase housing requirements beyond Prop 12. This means that pork producers nationwide, regardless of whether they have converted to be Prop 12-compliant, would yet again be out of compliance to access another state market.

It’s undeniable that farmers’ costs to house their animals are increasing, NPPC says.

Multiple university studies show that constructing new, Prop 12-compliant barns can cost 25% to 40% more per sow than other housing styles, not including the estimated 15% higher operating costs per pig caused by reduced productivity.

Prop 12 is responsible for declining food affordability as grocery story pork prices are skyrocketing, NPPC reports.

North Dakota State University economists found that since Prop 12 was implemented, prices for covered products in California have increased nearly 20% on average.
Prop 12 leads to pork industry consolidation, as smaller farms close their doors because of the regulatory burdens and high costs of complying with Prop 12.
AFBF economists analyzed the impact of state laws on interstate commerce in a recent Market Intel . According to a study by the University of California’s Gianni Foundation, the impact of the higher prices on people’s pork purchases, with California’s share of consumption falling from 10% of all U.S. pork to 8% when Proposition 12 took full effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
Ultimately, consumers pay the bill for the disruption caused by these laws. Farmers are price-takers, not price-makers, the Market Intel report says. A farmer who has invested in complying with laws like Proposition 12 is at the mercy of a packer to pay a premium for a product they can sell in Massachusetts or California - though even that premium may not cover the farmer’s costs. When packers pay farmers more, they likely pass that cost on to retailers, who then charge shoppers more for pork.

This coalition, representing more than 5 million Americans, urges passage of the 2026 House Farm Bill to “protect everyone’s freedom to farm while also allowing states to act independently by allowing laws that regulate practices and impact commerce within their borders.”

A full House floor vote is expected for late April/early May.

NPPC to USTR: Trade Policy Should Support, Not Stifle, American Ag

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:30:15 GMT

As the Trump administration imposes tariffs on countries in response to their unfair trade practices, the National Pork Producers (NPPC) urges a cautious approach. Negative consequences often follow such duties, in particular NPPC points out retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including pork.

“NPPC is asking USTR to ‘carefully’ target trade remedies only at products where foreign government intervention has created excess capacity that is immune to market correction,” NPPC says. “NPPC also wants USTR to exclude agricultural equipment and components and inputs from tariffs to avoid inflating domestic production costs.”

The Impact of Section 301 Tariffs

The challenges caused by nations using forced labor and fostering overcapacity of products and subsequently subsidizing exports are undeniable, NPPC points out in comments submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. NPPC also acknowledged the administration’s use of Section 301 tariffs as a way to protect domestic manufacturers of, for example, steel, aluminum, and semiconductors.

The U.S. pork industry historically has been the primary target in trade disputes involving manufacturing, NPPC says.

“Pork is a high-value commodity on which trading partners often impose retaliatory duties ‘to exert maximum political pressure on the U.S. government’ to back off its tariffs,” NPPC wrote.

Using Section 301 tariffs as a permanent trade architecture creates uncertainty, which stifles long-term business planning and investment, NPPC adds.

“Section 301 was designed to enforce U.S. rights under trade agreements and encourage negotiations, not to serve as a permanent tax on imports,” the oganization says.

Section 301 tariffs directly inflate input costs for a U.S. crop sector that is already struggling with high costs and low market returns, they shared in the comments.

“U.S. farmers rely heavily on modern pesticides to protect their crops from diseases, weeds, and insects, ensuring strong yields and a reliable supply of food, fiber, and fuel,” the comments say. “The manufacturing of these crop protection products relies on highly complex, global supply chains, with final formulated products often containing dozens of active and inert chemical ingredients. Although some specific pesticide ingredients have received tariff exemptions, many crucial active and inert ingredients remain subject to Section 301 tariffs, making it significantly more expensive for companies to manufacture and deliver vital products to American farmers.”

When grain prices rise, so do the costs to produce pork and pork products, NPPC explains. In the end, these increased costs threaten farmer incomes, crop quality and the economic health of rural communities.

Positive Investments Instead of Punitive Tariffs

Imposing of U.S. tariffs can prompt retaliatory duties on American goods, NPPC says.

For example, trade disputes with China in 2018-2019, saw that country respond to U.S. 301 tariffs (and Section 232 duties) with tariffs on U.S. pork of 62% to 70%. This resulted in an estimated annualized loss of nearly $646 million in exports.

It’s also difficult and costly to regain market share in a country once a trading partner responds to U.S. tariffs by sourcing pork from U.S. competitors such as Brazil or the European Union, even after the tariffs have been lifted, the organization says.

“If the U.S. government’s overarching goal is to strengthen domestic agricultural supply chains and manufacturing, it should replace punitive tariffs with positive investment strategies, “NPPC wrote. “These strategies should include tax credits, low-to-no-interest loans for capital investment, grant programs for workforce training to bring innovative, domestically manufactured products to the U.S. market.”

Rooted in Resilience: The Non-Traditional Journey of Swine Veterinarian Dr. Anna Forseth

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 20:07:56 GMT

Dr. Anna Forseth didn’t just follow a path; she carved one. While many people associate Montana with Yellowstone and cattle, Forseth grew up with a much different perspective.

The daughter of two successful pork producers, Bruce and Marie Samson, her family operated Samson Family Farm, a 300-sow, farrow-to-finish confinement hog farm in the southwest part of the state. They marketed about 5,500 pigs a year to packing plants in Twin Falls, Idaho, and Modesto, Calif.

She and her five siblings grew up with a deep appreciation for the family farm, 4-H and the great outdoors. So, how did this Montana native find herself serving 60,000 U.S. pork producers as the director of animal health for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)?

A Non-Traditional Journey to National Policy

“Nothing about my path is traditional,” Forseth points out.

While attending Montana State University, she interned with the National Pork Board. During that time, she worked with the science and technology team where she was exposed to a unique way of serving the industry as a veterinarian. She then went to Colorado State University for veterinary school.

“My husband Rocky and I got married during my fourth year of vet school, or should I say ‘our’ fourth year of vet school,” Forseth laughs. “That’s not because he is a vet, but because it’s hard to leave vet school at school. I brought a lot of it home and he was right there in the trenches with me. In fact, my parents gave me a beautiful saddle when I graduated from vet school, but they also gave him one because they thought he deserved one, too.”

Anna Forseth met her husband, Rocky, in an undergrad beef management class. He came from a long line of cattlemen and cattlewomen, and she hailed from Gallatin County, drove a Subaru, and much preferred the pig barn at the county fair over the steer barn. “How this worked is still a mystery to some, but it created quite a team,” she says.

(Anna Forseth)

As a new veterinarian, she went to work for the Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University. She also spent some time working with Smithfield before being hired by the Montana State Veterinarian’s Office in 2018.

Heading back west was important to the young couple who wanted to be closer to family. In 2022, the opportunity to work for NPPC allowed her a unique opportunity as the director of animal health for America’s pig farmers.

Although her roles have changed over the years, her focus has remained the same.

“When I thought about visiting a farm, it was about helping the pigs so that I could help the producer,” Forseth says. “What could I do for the producer that they couldn’t do for themselves? I would often, by default, be helping the pigs, but my focus is always on the producer.”

A Voice for the Producer

Although she no longer sees pigs on a daily basis, she talks to farmers often about their pigs. She points out that her role allows her to help farmers in a way that they can’t do for themselves because they are busy caring for their pigs and raising a protein that so many people in the world rely on.

“I am the bridge between policy and the producer,” Forseth says. “I’m not necropsying pigs and submitting samples to the diagnostic lab anymore, but I’m representing the industry domestically and internationally. I’m so proud to be doing that on their behalf.”

When she started in 2022, almost all of her time was spent on preparedness and response planning for African swine fever, post detection of ASF in the Dominican Republic. She continues to spend time on ASF response planning, though the diseases of focus have expanded since she began working for NPPC. Lately, she’s been engaged in foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza and New World screwworm planning.

“I think foot-and-mouth disease scares me the most because of its potential impact on multiple species,” she says. “Even if the swine industry were to manage the disease, we would be dependent on other domestic species’ ability to manage it. Remember that particular virus affects cloven-hooved animals, to include wild cervids and feral swine.”

During Forseth’s time at NPPC, annual funding for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (NADPRP) has surged from $18 million to $70 million. She currently serves on the NADPRP advisory board, ensuring these historic resources are strategically deployed to protect producers through enhanced state engagement and emergency readiness.

NPPC has also secured other legislative and funding victories, including the passage of the Beagle Brigade Act and the transition of the US SHIP program to the USDA. Central to these efforts is the “three-legged stool” of animal health—funding the national laboratory network, the vaccine bank, and the veterinary stockpile.

Rooted in Resilience

When she’s not working on behalf of pig farmers, Forseth keeps busy supporting her husband on their registered SimAngus cattle ranch and caring for their two young kids.

“It’s one big, but fun, balancing act,” she says. “I enjoy everything I’m doing, from being a mom to being a rancher’s wife to being a veterinarian for NPPC. I’m thankful for the example I had with my mom, who raised six kids and supported the farm. When work needed to be done and someone needed to step up, that someone was always her. While she was balancing all of our lives, I was watching and learning.”

Forseth is quick to point out that she learned a lot from her dad, too. He passed away in 2023 after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma.

“I will always remember him as a fighter, even before his cancer diagnosis, but certainly after,” Forseth says. “Despite pain and his prognosis, he stayed optimistic and focused on others.”

She vividly remembers the day she found out that he had cancer during a routine morning drive to a histology lab in vet school.

“I cried so hard on my way to school that I gave myself a bloody nose,” she says. “I got myself into class and sat down in front of the microscope. I hadn’t looked at the schedule for the day. To my surprise, we were looking at cancer cells – that was salt in the wound for me that morning. After class, I asked the professor to tell me what she knew about multiple myeloma.”

When she got back to her car, she called her dad and told him she was going to take the rest of the day off because she didn’t feel like sitting in a lecture hall in light of the news he just shared.

“He asked, ‘Why in the world would you do that?’” Forseth says. “He tried to perk me up by telling me about all the great advances. He just kept talking about the science and how cool it was. I loved that so much – it was never about him, even on his hardest days, it was always about somebody else.”

Unique Times Call for Unique Leadership

Forseth gets her passion for putting others first from her dad. It fuels her decisions every day as she strives to represent U.S. pig farmers from coast to coast.

Whether she’s navigating global meetings with the World Organization for Animal Health or tackling feral swine management with her trademark “Montana grit,” Forseth’s unique perspective is an invaluable asset. She is a reminder of how agriculture can be strengthened by those who take non-conventional paths.

“We can’t sustain this industry on a ‘how it has been done’ mentality,” she says. “Today’s consumer is different. The industry structure is different. The workforce is different. The policy pressures are very different. It’s going to take new and unique ideas to address new and sometimes unique challenges.”

Discover more about Forseth’s journey by watching “The PORK Podcast” on YouTube or by listening to it anywhere podcasts are found.

Russian Firm Shuts Pig Farms Near Ukraine Border Due to Attack Risks

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:49:34 GMT

Russia’s biggest listed agricultural company Rusagro said on Friday it had shut down three pig farms in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine and has been a target of frequent attacks during the conflict.

The company cited high risks for farm personnel as the reason for the decision.

The region is a major producer of meat, grain and sugar. The closure of the farms reduced Rusagro’s pork output by about 4% to 141,000 tons in the first quarter, the company said.

Rusagro bought the farms in 2024, seeking to boost its pork production and exports.

The deal was made under Rusagro’s founder, Vadim Moshkovich, who was charged with embezzlement last year in a case related to the company’s acquisition of a major oil and fat producer as part of its efforts to expand in that business.

(Reporting by Olga Popova; Writing by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Don’t Be Fooled: Animal Rights Activists Pose as Family Farmers

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:05:48 GMT

Recently, several new activist groups have been using proclaimed farmers as prominent features in legislative campaigns aimed at preserving state “animal welfare” laws like California’s Proposition 12 . But who are these organizations – and are they really speaking for farmers?

Last fall, the Animal Agriculture Alliance noticed a trend of groups like Farm Action and Humane World Action Fund running ads claiming “family farmers” are in favor of upholding Prop12 and encouraging opposition to federal efforts to overturn the law. The ads claimed that Prop 12 “created a market that gives family-run farms like ours a fighting chance.”

Farm Action, a group with a purposely misleading name, is run by two former Humane World for Animals (HSUS) staff. The group endorses anti-animal agriculture legislation while claiming that they are working to “protect the future of family farms,” and organized a Congressional fly-in event last year to speak with legislators. Similarly, the activist-backed American Meat Producers Association, also led by a former Humane World for Animals (HSUS) staffer, was launched last year and has also been involved in similar efforts in D.C. to support Prop 12. The group said that they are working to “give a voice on policy issues and protect state laws that are good for family farmers,” while misleading lawmakers that these voices – heavily influenced by leadership that has strong ties to anti-animal agriculture organizations – speak for the entirety of producers.

These efforts in D.C. in support of California’s Prop 12 and in opposition to the EATS Act, now renamed the Save Our Bacon Act, were lauded by other anti-animal agriculture groups like Mercy for Animals, which wrote a blog in November about the “hundreds of farmers [sending] a strong message on Capitol Hill.” If you look deeper into the connections of these organizations, it’s hard to believe that these “farmers” would want to align themselves with groups that ultimately want to put all animal agriculture out of business.

In January, The Center for the Environment & Welfare issued a report breaking down some of the alleged “supporters” of California’s Prop 12 that were listed on a letter circulating on Capitol Hill. In the letter, Humane World for Animals had claimed that 5,000 farms across 39 states support Prop 12’s “animal welfare standards,” however, after a thorough review, it was found that this list included over 100 wineries, 150 honey producers, a goat yoga practitioner, and an urban garden – not a very accurate depiction of farmers that are actually impacted by these housing standards and supply chain restrictions.

Most recently, with the House Ag Committee passing a Farm Bill that includes preemption language related to Prop 12, we have continued to see animal rights activists scramble for support. Many groups have put out rapid “calls to action” on social media and through e-mail blasts asking their supporters to reach out to legislators. Some of these efforts seem to be aimed at major conservative commentators and policymakers, signaling attempts by activist groups to reach nontraditional audiences. A recent article in the LA Times claimed that “even conservatives are mad” about Proposition 12 and, while using an activist-provided stock photo from outside of the United States, referenced “intensive corporate-owned mega-farms.” In the article, an alleged farmer and “self-described conservative Republican” claimed that gestation stalls are not “proven to be good science.” This kind of content directly opposes the work that has been done in partnership by farmers, academia, and industry to make sure that pigs, whatever housing system they are in, are raised in environments that balance the best for their welfare and environmental sustainability, all while creating a nutritious, affordable protein for consumers.

It’s not hard to see why animal rights activists are trying to appear as representing farmers and ranchers. According to Gallup polling , farming and agriculture is America’s most trusted sector over the past 25 years. This new wave of organizations and tactics seems to be an attempt at distracting and confusing the public and policymakers, drowning out the perspectives of longstanding grassroots organizations who do count farmers and ranchers responsible for putting meat, poultry, dairy, eggs and seafood on American plates among their membership. It’s imperative that we look beyond the facades that these groups want you to see to understand their true intent. That second look at groups claiming to be aligned with farmers and asking for support could be hugely impactful to major legislative changes that seek to alter the future of our food supply.

Abby Kornegay is the director of issues and engagement for the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

In a World of 51-49, One Sector Isn't Close

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:18:49 GMT

We are swimming in polling data. Daily trackers and instant reaction panels. Most results cluster in narrow margins. Fifty-one to forty-nine passes for consensus; fifty-five percent is a landslide.

That is what makes one set of numbers stand out.

Across 25 years of Gallup polling on public confidence in major U.S. economic sectors, one sector stands apart. Farming and agriculture is a clear and distinct leader in public trust.

That finding comes from a Carver Center examination of the full Gallup record – a continuous measure of how Americans view major industries from 2001 through 2025.

Only a small group of sectors have remained consistently net positive: the computer industry, retail, travel, restaurants and farming and agriculture. Most industries rise and fall. Some collapse during crises and struggle to fully recover.

Agriculture does not behave that way.

Its median net-positive score over the full period is +41. The lowest year was still +29, in a dataset where many sectors fall to zero or below.

The data also show intensity, not just direction.

About 11.5% of Americans hold a “very positive” view across all sectors over the past 25 years. Farming and agriculture averages 21.5% over that same period. In the past decade, that figure rises to 25%, the highest of any sector.

That is not marginal support. It is high-intensity approval.

Now set that against how the sector is commonly described.

Much of today’s food and agriculture debate assumes a deficit of public trust. The language is familiar: a broken system, eroding confidence, widespread concern.

Americans have been asked this question for 25 years. They do not answer it that way.

Americans distinguish sharply across industries. They are skeptical where experience gives them reason to be skeptical. They are volatile where outcomes are volatile. They have remained consistently negative toward sectors like the federal government and pharmaceuticals over long stretches.

And they are consistently positive toward sectors that deliver visible, everyday value. Food and agriculture sit in that category.

The more important point is underneath it. Public trust is not a general condition that moves evenly across the economy. It is a scarce asset. It concentrates.

Over a quarter century, Gallup’s data show a clear separation. A small number of sectors earn lasting confidence. Most do not.

That has implications well beyond agriculture.

When policymakers treat trust as evenly distributed, they misread risk. They assume that interventions carry similar consequences across sectors. They do not.

Food and farm policy is where this shows up in practice. In school meals, for example, nutrition is delivered only if students participate. Trust in the food being served is not incidental to that system – it is part of how it works. Change the rules in ways that conflict with how families and students actually experience food, and participation falls. When participation falls, so does the nutrition delivered through the program.

Policymakers who misread this baseline end up designing policy that works against public trust rather than with it. The effects are not theoretical. They appear in participation rates, costs and what ends up on the tray.

Polling captures moments. What Gallup’s 25-year record captures is something harder to move: accumulated public judgment.

On food and agriculture, that judgment is not confused. It is not evenly split. It is not fragile. It is clear, durable and unusually strong. Policy should start there.

Curliss is chairman at the Carver Center for Agriculture and Nutrition, a nonprofit research initiative focused on food affordability, access and sound nutrition. The full Gallup analysis and Carver Trust Index are available at carverfood.org . Check out this downloadable report.

One Farmer’s Fight for Pork Choice in Chicago Schools Could Save Millions of Dollars

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:15:19 GMT

Josh Maschhoff didn’t go to Chicago to ask for a handout; he went to offer a solution that could save a school district in a financial crisis millions of dollars annually.

After being selected to speak at the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education meeting, Maschhoff jumped in his vehicle 24 hours later to drive 300 miles to the meeting site. When he arrived in Chicago with Illinois Pork Producers Association’s executive director Jennifer Tirey, people were already lined up at the door to enter the 10:30 a.m. meeting.

For the first few hours of the nearly nine-hour meeting, groups came forward to present their two-minute case to the school board.

“Most were pleading for programs, why not to close their school and how much money they needed to sustain the schools,” Maschhoff says. “In fact, some of those schools were looking to close in the next two to three weeks for lack of funding. The environment was tense.”

A Million-Dollar Proposal

When Maschhoff’s name was called, his comments carried a much different tone.

“I might be the only one who stands up here today with a proposal for you to save money and still give more choice,” he began in his comments shared here .

He asked the board for a formal review of the district’s pork prohibition impacting 630 schools that currently cannot serve pork at breakfast or lunch. Of the 350,000 free meals served daily at CPS through the Community Eligibility Provision, none includes pork. Despite being a staple in Chicago households, a vote during a virtual COVID-era board meeting quietly removed this nutrient-dense protein from the menu.

Because the district is unable to accept or serve USDA-provided pork, CPS forgoes access to a nutrient-dense, high-quality protein available through federal procurement , Tirey says. On a weekly basis, CPS misses out on approximately $5.51 million in federal reimbursements because roughly 39% of students skip lunch and 56% skip breakfast. Just by swapping a beef sausage patty with a pork sausage patty at breakfast alone, it would save CPS $1.2 million over 180 days.

“You could tell this was a unique topic school board members weren’t expecting to hear about,” Tirey says. “We did see a lot of non-verbal nods and smiles, recognizing that we had been there for several hours. I think it definitely created an impact.”

Maschhoff noticed people perk up when he mentioned cost savings. Many board members looked surprised when he discussed the ban on pork.

“I heard from several of the board members when I followed up with emails afterward,” Tirey says. “They are definitely aware of the situation now and are interested in pursuing a review of the policy.”

Several board members requested more information, specifically on the nutritional value and content of pork. Tirey says the next step is a review of the policy with the Office of Student Health and Wellness.

“In the meantime, I am setting up meetings on Zoom during individual board members’ designated CPS board office hours to see if those individuals have any additional questions or want more information,” Tirey says.

Correcting the Record

The Illinois Pork Producers Association is also employing targeted campaign ads about the pork ban on social media in the Chicagoland area for school-age parents.

“There have been several comments and questions that we have been able to respectfully respond to that I think consumers just don’t understand,” she says. “We’ve had comments about the cost of pork, and we’ve been able to offer cost analysis information. There have been comments about the religious choice. We’ve been able to give the individuals information about the halal-certified kitchen that Chicago Public Schools works with, and how pork would simply be offering another option – another choice – and not taking away from anyone’s rights.”

She says social media has been a positive way to answer some of those questions for individuals who are not familiar with the pork industry.

Beyond Chicago

The impact of the CPS ban is resonating far beyond the city limits. One food service employee commented on social media that they weren’t seeing a lot of pork served in their schools in central Illinois and didn’t think kids were eating it.

“We responded and said, ‘Well, we respectfully disagree, and here are the statistics in the Chicagoland area for why we believe there are some discussions that need to be had,’” Tirey says. “We talked about the nutritional value of pork and the food service person said, ‘Thank you for your intelligent responses. I’m going to take another pass at including more pork in my school menu again.’”

It’s hard to imagine kids going to school and not eating anything because they don’t like the choices they are being served on the menu, Maschhoff says. CPS has the opportunity to take advantage of government programs to purchase nutrient-dense pork products that are culturally relevant and appreciated by over 85% of its students .

“Let’s help these kids gain access to meals that are already paid for that will appeal to them and connect with them,” he says.

Connect Your Story

While the Chicago Public School system having a ban on pork is a big deal, Maschhoff adds, it’s just one of a number of school districts that do the same. CPS is the fourth-largest school district in the nation, but since uncovering this prohibition on pork, Maschhoff and Tirey have heard examples of other school programs that do the same.

“I can’t tell you how many people have said to me, ‘Hey, I looked into my school district and found out my kids don’t like the offerings that we have for protein either, and pork isn’t on the menu very much there,’” he says. “And those are rural districts.”

At the National Pork Industry Forum, the National Pork Board shared how it will continue to invest more dollars, through the hiring of an additional staff member, to promote nutrition research on pork and help public schools add more pork into their menu to follow the new dietary guidelines.

“This is what’s causing America to not be healthy,” Maschhoff says. “It’s the choices that we provide them, starting in their schools, where they attend every day. We need to tell our story and keep banging the drum.”

Every story matters. That’s why the industry needs to persistently advocate and show up to help answer questions, provide additional resources and make connections, Maschhoff says.

“It doesn’t take much time to explain your story,” he adds. “With four little boys, I am passionate about making sure they eat right and attend school – those are two main goals in my life now. All I did was connect my story to things that can impact my children and other children who attend public schools.”

Sixth Circuit Reverses Ruling, Allowing Farmers to Defend Interests in Clean Water Act Case

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:06:30 GMT

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a lower court ruling and agreed National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the Ohio Pork Council, and several other agricultural associations are allowed to intervene as full parties in a case challenging Ohio’s regulation of nutrients in the Maumee River Watershed and western Lake Erie basin.

“This decision matters because it ensures agriculture can stand up and tell its own story,” says Cheryl Day, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council. “Our producers who raise livestock and grow crops are in the best position to defend agriculture and explain how these policies affect real farms — not federal regulators or government lawyers who don’t have any connection to agriculture.”

The Case Background

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency developed and the U.S. EPA approved a total maximum daily load (TMDL) – the amount of pollutants, including otherwise unregulated farm and agricultural storm water runoff, that can be in a water body and still meet federal water quality standards – for the river in northwest Ohio, NPPC shares in Capital Update.

The Environmental Law & Policy Center, among others, sued EPA in U.S. District Court in 2023, arguing that its approval of the Ohio EPA’s Maumee River TMDL “was arbitrary and capricious and the TMDL is not stringent enough.”

Even though the District Court allowed environmental activists, including Food & Water Watch and the Waterkeeper Alliance, to intervene in the case, the U.S. Department of Justice opposed the agricultural organizations’ request to enter the case, arguing that it would represent EPA and farm group interests.

The Right to Intervene

In granting NPPC and the other agriculture organizations the right to intervene, the Sixth Circuit unanimously found that while the EPA’s argument that “approval of the Maumee TMDL is consistent with its regulations interpreting and implementing the CWA” – a position supported by the farm groups – the agricultural associations have a different view of the regulations from EPA. NPPC explains the groups further argue that some of the regulatory requirements are inconsistent with or otherwise not required by the CWA and not applicable to farmers.

“With the case back at the U.S. District Court, the farm organizations will be able to argue that while EPA’s reasons for approving the Maumee River TMDL were adequate to support its decision, the legal threshold for such approval is lower than the environmental groups and even EPA contend,” NPPC says.

Although NPPC and the agricultural associations could have filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the case, being intervenors allows them to raise and prosecute their own arguments, argue at trial, weigh in on possible settlements, and appeal an adverse outcome.

“Overall, NPPC will have a much stronger platform for defending agriculture from baseless attacks by activist groups, both in this case and in future challenges,” the organization says.

Pork Industry Must Adapt to a "New World Order"

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 20:23:07 GMT

In the pork industry, there is more that brings us together than separates us, says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) CEO Bryan Humphreys. However, the foundational “pillars” of the industry are shifting.

“Survivability requires adaptation,” Humphreys told the delegate body at the National Pork Industry Forum. “We cannot adapt to a new world order that we simply don’t understand.”

Four Pillars in Flux

Humphreys outlines four fundamental truths that have guided the industry for decades but are now undergoing radical shifts:

The Erosion of Science and Facts: For years, the industry relied on objective data to win legal and political arguments. Today, Humphreys warns that the definition of science is “under attack.” He pointed to the “MAHA” (Make America Healthy Again) coalition as a driver of a movement attempting to replace peer-reviewed research with unsubstantiated social media claims.

“My fear is that our primary battle will shift from simply using data, information and facts to actively defending and validating the very existence of those facts that make our food system the safest and most abundant in the world,” he says.
A Scrambled Political Map: The traditional lines of political alignment aren’t just blurred, they are being completely re-written, Humphreys says. For example, he noted a “bizarre reality” where the far-left and far-right are finding common ground in attacks on ultra-processed foods.
Unchecked Executive Power: With Congress frequently stalled, the Executive branch has filled the void with aggressive rulemaking and executive orders. Humphreys warns of “regulatory whiplash,” noting that while unchecked executive action may benefit us at times under the current administration, it sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations to bypass the legislative process.
Transactional Geopolitics: Agriculture was once the “crown jewel” of American trade deals. Now, trade is often focused on national security, critical minerals and domestic manufacturing. Humphreys warned that pork risks becoming “collateral damage” in broader geopolitical fights if the industry does not adapt its trade strategy.

The Power of Bacon

Despite all the “noise in Washington,” Humphreys reminds producers of two unwavering truths: the global love for pork—specifically bacon—and the high level of public trust in farmers. Citing 25 years of Gallup polling data, he noted that the American farmer remains one of the most trusted resources of information.

“In all the political headlines that we face, people love your product. People trust and love you all,” Humphreys says. “When a grassroots organization made up of you all as members faces foundational shifts, I firmly believe that the opportunities are endless if we are willing to adapt and change.”

A New Strategic Playbook

To address these shifts, Humphreys says the industry must execute on the “playbook.” The 2022 decision to increase the Strategic Investment Program (SIP) rate to 15 cents per $100 of value created an “extraordinary opportunity for us to take a broader and more aggressive approach.” The strategy moving forward will include:

Third-Party Validation: In addition to industry-led research, looking to the work of third-party experts and allied coalitions to validate the science behind modern pork production.
Direct Political Engagement: Becoming more comfortable in the political arena, from grassroots town halls to leveraging PACs and holding historical individuals in Congress accountable.
Executive Branch Focus: Deepening bipartisan relations directly with regulatory agencies to ensure the industry has a voice regardless of which party occupies the White House.
Strategic Trade: Working with partners to anticipate barriers and ensure U.S. pork is ready to move the second a trade door opens.

“Bring on the Mountains”

Humphreys revisited a metaphor he shared years ago of “two paths” up a mountain. He urged producers to avoid the narrow, solitary path and instead choose the wider path of collective commitment.

“As we step into this new world order, the perception of a divided industry will weaken our ability to navigate the challenges ahead,” Humphreys says. “There is more that joins us together as an industry than will ever separate us. Bring on the mountains. I look forward to seeing you at the top.”

American Agriculture Deserves the Certainty of a Farm Bill

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:52:49 GMT

American agriculture deserves the certainty that comes with a farm bill, says National Pork Producers Council CEO Bryan Humphreys.

“It is not a request of American agriculture that we get a farm bill through the House and through the Senate, it is an expectation of American agriculture and the U.S. pork industry that we get a farm bill with the solutions we have asked for across the line,” Humphreys said at the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City.

He’s appreciative of the long hours put in by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and the bipartisan support of both Republicans and Democrats to get the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 , or Farm Bill 2.0, through the House Agriculture Committee.

Affordable Food Should Not Be a Luxury

America’s pork producers want the same thing consumers want – an affordable, safe and delicious food supply. Pat Hord, an Ohio pig farmer, appreciates the Trump administration’s focus on food affordability and is optimistic about how Farm Bill 2.0 could help make that a reality.

Hord testified on behalf of America’s pork producers to the House Agriculture Committee last summer about the effects of Proposition 12.

“The Supreme Court said, ‘Hey, this is an issue for Congress to fix.’ We can argue whether the Supreme Court got it right or not on this, but the bottom line is they said it needs to go back to Congress to fix,” Hord says. “We’re doing what they’ve asked us to do because we know it’s not sustainable to have a patchwork of a bunch of states requiring different things.”

As a pig farmer, it makes him uneasy to think about what could happen if different production standards continue to be forced onto farmers. But he points out that in the end, consumers will suffer the most.

“We’ve documented the effects of Prop 12 and how it has lowered pork consumption in California and increased prices for consumers,” Hord says.

Food affordability is just one of the reasons why Thompson 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,” Thompson 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.”

Stop the Patchwork of Regulations

Beyond pork producers, Humphreys says everybody in the country needs to understand what a patchwork of 50 different state regulations would do to all of American agriculture, manufacturing, automotive and more.

“Everyone should be calling their members of Congress and demanding a solution to this, because it’s beyond just agriculture,” he says. “This is something if we don’t get fixed, will plague the entire U.S. economy.”

Humphreys urges people to call their members of Congress to remind them of the importance of the stability that will come from passing Farm Bill 2.0.

Thunderstruck: Rob Brenneman Brings High-Horsepower Leadership to NPPC

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:14:43 GMT

Thunder (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah). As the familiar AC/DC song roared, Iowa pig farmer Rob Brenneman walked to the stage to share his first comments as National Pork Producers Council’s newest president.

Raising pigs is more than a job to Brenneman. In order to give back to the industry that has done so much for him, he said yes to the opportunity to lead NPPC and help protect opportunities for the next generation of pig farmers.

Connecting Policy to Reality

“NPPC fights battles that producers cannot fight alone,” Brenneman says. “NPPC is the unified voice for pork producers, protecting our freedom to operate. I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting other producers, listening to their ideas, and making something out of their ideas.”

Industry challenges surrounding animal health, overhead costs and consumer trust aren’t going away. Immediate challenges like tariffs, Mexico antidumping/countervailing duty investigations and labor are top of mind, too.

“When real pork producers go to D.C., policymakers listen differently,” Brenneman says. “You can explain how policies affect your day-to-day operations better than anyone. You have the knowledge and experience to help policymakers make informed decisions. Our collective voice protects all pig farmers. We connect the policy to reality.”

For example, during comments by Julie Callahan, chief agricultural negotiator with the Office of the United States Trade Representative, at the National Pork Industry Forum, she shared how important NPPC and pork producers are to their office.

“They call us and ask for input,” Brenneman says. “Being at the table allows us to give the input about what independent producers want. That gives me hope. NPPC gives me hope as an independent producer, that we’ve got a chance. We’ve got to keep our doors open to trade.”

Of course, not all of the work NPPC does makes headlines, he points out. Some of the simpler things, like what NPPC did with labor, didn’t get as much hype.

“I had the opportunity to be in on those meetings with key people in Washington, D.C., and they listened to us, and it helped,” he says. “I don’t think everybody gets that. The TN Visa situation is a big deal, and I don’t think a lot of people understood how some of that gets corrected or incentivized to be better. There are so many unseen things that don’t happen because you’re at the table. Nobody knows they were ever a threat, which means we’re doing our job.”

A Unified Industry

Of all the important messages like this shared at National Pork Industry Forum, Brenneman hopes people hear one important thing: The pork industry is unified.

“We are not fragmented, and we work together as much as we can,” he says.

A self-described “high-horsepower, high-speed guy,” Brenneman will be focused on continuing to encourage unity during his presidency. He also is setting the bar high for staff, producers and the entire industry.

“I have very high expectations,” he says. “I expect things to get done, and I expect delivery. I expect an end to what they’re doing. I think that’s only fair as we work in an industry that has high expectations. It’s my job to provide leadership and coaching to get us there. I want to provide the tools needed to fix what’s broken or improve what’s already going well.”

From a policy standpoint, he hopes to close the chapter on Proposition 12 and prevent a patchwork of state laws in the next year.

He knows the job is going to require a tremendous lift from his entire family and the entire team at Brenneman Pork.

“Without my wife Char by my side, this would never work,” he says. “I’ve got a tremendous team and tremendous family at home who are involved and standing by me to help me succeed at this. We operate by this phrase in our operation: Failure is not an option.”

Brenneman also points out that his wife knows him better than anyone.

“She knows my throttle and my brake,” he says. “She knows what accelerates that, what slows it down and what stops it. Some days, that’s not good for me, but it’s good for everybody else.” Listen to Rob and Char Brenneman on Episode 26 of The PORK Podcast .

A Voice for America’s Pig Farmers

The list of tasks ahead is long. If Brenneman could accomplish just one thing on the list, it would be to encourage more people to support the NPPC and the Strategic Investment Program.

“With that support, we gain advocacy and a voice,” he says.

Brenneman says he’s personally going to give this position everything he can.

“I want to emphasize how hard I am going to work at this to make sure that I do everything I can to make a difference for independent producers in this country,” he says. “Coming from Washington County, Iowa, you realize there are still independent producers out there. I’m in this for all of them, every single one. This is not about me – this is about them.”

Surrounded by hog barns and corn fields, Brenneman knows the fight is worth it.

“We have to revitalize rural America,” he says. “We live in the No. 1 hog county in Iowa, and it shows. That’s why ground is so high – that’s why young farmers are here. They came home to farm because they built a building, they got manure and they got a job, and now they farm. When I drive by farms and see kids on a four-wheeler or see kids showing pigs at the county fair, I’m reminded that they are the future. I do not want that to dry up.”

That’s one of the things NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys appreciates most about Brenneman – his passion for the future leaders of this industry.

“His love and dedication to not just the industry, but this industry for literally generations to come, is incredible,” Humphreys says. “When Rob Brenneman talks about the pork industry, he doesn’t talk about the pork industry for him or for Char. He talks about it for his kids. He talks about it for his grandkids. He talks about it for his great grandkids. That long-term perspective of business continuity – of what we can do to make agriculture and raising pigs not just a good business, but fun for the next generation – is incredibly valuable.”

Pork (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah).

Pork Leaders Chart a Path for Market Expansion and Swine Health

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:35:46 GMT

Although we can’t change the past, we can learn from it, says National Pork Board CEO David Newman.

“We are in a transformational time that we’ve never seen before,” he explained during the National Pork Industry Forum.

Leaders from the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council gathered on stage to discuss some of the issues facing the U.S. pork industry. Here are some of the quotable moments from a conversation between Gordon Spronk, National Pork Board president; Chad Groves, National Pork Board vice president; Duane Stateler, National Pork Producers Council past president; and Rob Brenneman, National Pork Producers Council president.

Groves: “When I look at the dietary guidelines, it creates the perfect storm for our industry. The inversion of the pyramid will drive volume into schools, in the military and in government procurement. What’s happening with the focus on protein and the increased demand that will take place because of GLP-1 drugs, coupled with the launch of Taste What Pork Can Do, it is the perfect time for us to lean into the consumer.”

Stateler: “We got engaged with California and were able to get their legislation amended in their state that was going to keep us out of over a billion school lunch meals a year. Now we’re in there. We got to compromise. We didn’t quite get everything we want, but at least we have the opportunity to get dense protein into those schools. We’re going to have to work extra hard. When it comes to the state levels, we’re going to rely on you and the states, to get in front of your state politicians and help us fight this off.”

Groves: “The most important, and in my opinion, the most untapped space, is K-12 schools. When you get those consumers into the category early and get them in with great products, the stickiness is strong. If you grow up with pork, it’ll be a part of your life as you move forward. As we lean in, given what’s happened with the invasion of the pyramid, they’ve got to be fantastic products, too. We can’t just get pork on the menu. It’s got to be a wonderful experience every single day.”

Spronk: “It’s key that producers are seated in those seats to lead the National Swine Health Strategy effort to provide real from the farm the front lines of those that are truly experiencing the devastating effects of this pathogen, that they then can set the tone and direct the guiding principles of all in all organizations, because we have many stakeholders that you just know, from the state level up to the national level, there’s many national efforts that need a coordinator so that producer led Advisory Committee hopefully can give the guiding principles of how all those entities should work together. And it’s going to change over time. There’s going to be variations. What starts there, and it’s very critical next step.”

Brenneman: “We’re the ones out on the front line, and we see the things that are happening. We’re the ones that have the ability to communicate with our neighbor. When you know what’s going on, you can say something to your neighbor. Trust opens up communication.”

Spronk: “Trust has to be built between producers first, which then that foundational trust between producers at a local level, then scales up to the state and the national, all the organizations we need to build trust between producers and between all those entities.”

Brenneman: “We have to provide tools and help educate everyone involved. Not every grower understands PRRS or PEDV until they actually experience it. If we can continue to coach and lead this, then we stand a chance of not making it too complicated.”

Spronk: “If we want to go from PRRS active to a world without PRRS, we first have to believe we can actually do it.”

Groves: “In business, there’s a pretty simple equation that my mentor taught me: RP + RF= DO. The right people with the right focus will get the desired outcomes. The right focus is keeping more animal disease out, eliminating PRRS and PEDV and other diseases that are here domestically. The other side of that equation is the right people, and that’s where the 12 producer leaders that come into that equation are so important. My caution – don’t jump to the tactics. That producer-led group will get us there. We’ve got to fill in the equation if we’re going to get to the desired outcome.”

Stateler: “Everybody in this room is here because you’ve been elected to be a delegate for your state. You need to take this information and knowledge back home to the people that elected you, to producers that might not even be involved in your organization yet. This is the best thing you can do to get more involvement, get more people talking, and bring more information back to us, so we can make better decisions at a national level.”

Farm Bill 2.0 Clears Bipartisan House Agriculture Committee

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:42:36 GMT

After a markup that lasted over 20 hours, the House Committee on Agriculture passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 out of committee. Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) says the legislation reflects the will of the committee, and it is filled with bipartisan provisions that will move the needle for farmers, ranchers and rural Americans across the country.

“Throughout this markup, it became clearer than ever before that our country needs a new farm bill, and we don’t need it next year, or next Congress. We need it now,” Thompson says. “I look forward to working in good faith with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we move toward a final vote on the House floor.”

Pork Producers Urge Passage Through House

Commonly referred to as Farm Bill 2.0, the legislation boasts relief for pork producers facing an “imminent patchwork” of state animal housing laws spurred by California Proposition 12, a state law that puts small farmers on the chopping block, increases the risk of industry consolidation, and undermines states’ rights.

“Pork producers of all shapes and sizes need this regulatory relief and are grateful for Chairman Thompson’s steady commitment to providing relief from state laws outside our borders,” says Duane Stateler, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president and pork producer from McComb, Ohio. “Now, it is up to the full House of Representatives to finish the job: pass this farm bill and give agricultural producers across the country true freedom to farm.”

Along with a dozen national farm, agriculture and transportation groups, NPPC is calling on Congress to “fix this mess immediately.” The coalition’s ask is simple: one state law should not be forced on agricultural producers across the country.

In addition to providing regulatory relief from Prop 12, the Farm Bill 2.0 also acted on additional U.S. pork producer priorities, including:

Funding and converting the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program into a full program.
Increasing funding for critical agricultural trade promotion programs, including the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, E. Kika de la Garza Emerging Markets Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops, and Priority Trade Fund.
Requiring USDA to report how changes to or expiration of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will affect agriculture.
Establishing the Agricultural Trade Enforcement Task Force to better identify and overcome trade barriers.
Expanding the Animal Health Protection Act to include improving animal disease traceability.
Allowing the establishment of additional training centers and programs under the Beagle Brigade Act.
Requiring thorough documentation on USDA’s ability to protect producers from significant economic losses due to a foreign animal disease outbreak.
Capping administrative expenses for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, allowing a higher percentage of funds to be used for research.
Requiring USDA to conduct research and development on a policy to insure pork producers against financial losses from a catastrophic disease.

State Departments of Agriculture Voice Support

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) commends the committee for prioritizing provisions that strengthen local food purchasing programs, enhance international market opportunities through a doubling of the Market Access Program, reauthorize the three-legged stool for foreign animal disease prevention, and reaffirm pesticide authorities. These measures reflect key priorities of state departments of agriculture and reinforce the importance of a unified farm bill that supports U.S. farmers, ranchers and consumers.

“NASDA supports this legislation and congratulates Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson and members of the House Agriculture Committee for moving the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 forward,” says NASDA CEO Ted McKinney. “Advancing this legislation out of committee with a bipartisan vote marks an important step toward delivering the certainty and support America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities urgently need.”

Duane Stateler Looks Back on a Year as NPPC President

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:44:50 GMT

Duane Stateler admits he never thought he’d be the president of an organization, let alone a national one. Serving as the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president this past year has been a joy and privilege that he doesn’t take for granted.

“Representing our producers and helping tell our story to the world has been interesting and eventful,” he says. “I’ve never found anyone who wasn’t willing to listen. I hope I have been able to make some improvements in getting our story out there.”

Securing a Future for His Grandchildren

For this Ohio pig farmer, his motivation to do what he does stems from his family.

“My momentum comes from knowing my grandsons want to follow in their dad’s footsteps,” Stateler says. “I want to make sure there’s a thriving industry for them to become a part of someday.”

When Anthony, his son, wanted to return to the family farm, Stateler knew they were going to have to diversify and expand their hog operation.

“Right after he made that decision to come back, the ballot initiative in Florida to stop using gestation stalls came about,” Stateler says. “That lit a fire under me. Here I had my son wanting to return, and one of the things that was going to stand in the way of that would be regulations determined by people who don’t understand livestock production. And here we are, 20-plus years later, still facing similar challenges.”

Heroes Behind the Scene

One of the things he appreciates most about the opportunity he’s had to see what happens behind the scenes at NPPC is understanding how many decisions never make it to the headlines.

“There’s a lot of work NPPC does behind the scenes to help producers,” he says. “We have an incredible staff. They are just amazing and I believe that sets us apart. A lot of the conversations they have with legislators result in language that you see later on.”

As he reflects back on the past year, he’s proud of the environmental progress that’s taken place with air and water quality standards. But the reality of consolidation is one concern he doesn’t see going away.

“We are becoming more and more integrated,” Stateler says. “How does a small family farm exist anymore? We’ve seen tremendous change, especially over the last 25 years, but I’m concerned about where it goes. We have to keep working to help farmers of all sizes succeed.”

Your Voice is Needed

Although he plans to step back and make more time for his family, he will remain engaged as NPPC’s current past president for a year and then he will serve on the trade committee.

“Being president of NPPC is a challenge, but it’s a challenge you look forward to and that you’ve been preparing for,” Stateler says. “I like the way we step up and gradually come into this seat.”

He will miss the early morning calls with Bryan Humphreys, NPPC CEO, and the loss of so much information.

“I think the most Bryan and I talked to each other in one day was seven times,” Stateler laughs. “The board makes the decisions. However, as president, when something happens we discuss issues and how to implement staff to prepare information to the board to make decisions.”

He encourages future NPPC presidents to embrace the unique perspective they bring to the table.

“Don’t be afraid to be yourself,” Stateler says. “Each of us has different aspects and qualities. It’s good for people to see that our leaders are individuals with differing backgrounds, but that we have the same goal in mind to represent all pork producers across the country.”

House Ag Committee Starts Farm Bill Mark Up

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:24:41 GMT

The push to get a five-year farm bill has been renewed in the House Ag Committee as Chairman G.T. Thompson released language and mark up began on Tuesday.

One Big Beautiful Bill Omits Farm Bill Titles

While some question why a new long term farm bill is needed, a cross section of the nation’s farm groups explain the bill did not cover all the titles normal included in a long-term farm bill.

“We had a lot of the provisions of the farm bill that were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill — the increase in reference prices, some changes and improvements to crop insurance, etc. But there’s still some really important aspects of the farm bill that need to be passed,” says Steve Censky, chief executive officer of the American Soybean Association.

Sam Kieffer, chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers, points out the One Big Beautiful Bill did not touch the conservation title or reauthorize programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Nor did the legislation deal with credit or expand farm loan limits.

“It is time to give our folks some certainty when it comes to conservation programs, when it comes to credit. The cost of doing business is drastically different than it was in 2018. And the 2018 Farm Bill was based off of data from three, four years prior. So, we want to make sure that we improve the credit section of of the farm bill, get that finished,” Kieffer says.

Farm Safety Net Needed

Kieffer adds a farm bill is also needed to provide certainty to farmers and offer a farm safety net in times of negative margins.

“There’s three years of market loss that our growers are struggling with at the moment, and they’re making hard decisions. Some of them are reducing acres, some of them are letting land go and there’s a price to be paid for that as well,” Kieffer says.

House Ag Committee Language Includes Prop 12 Ag Labeling Uniformity Act

Chairman Thompson’s farm bill language includes a Ag Labeling Uniformity Act, which covers pesticide registrations, according to Censky.

“Which means that the EPA is going to have preeminence when they make a health and safety determination of a pesticide, a crop protection product. You can’t have a state adopt different rules,” Censky says.

The House language also includes a national fix to California’s strict Prop 12 sow production standards and the possible patchwork of rules in other states.

However, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) would lose around $1 billion in budget authority over the next four fiscal years under the House Agriculture Committee’s GOP farm bill draft, according to calculations by the Congressional Budget Office. EQIP was essentially used as a funding source for other priorities in the legislation.

Include Food for Peace Program

Kieffer says NAWG also wants Congress to move the Food for Peace Program to USDA in the language of the Farm Bill.

“USDA knows how to deal with farm commodities. USDA is already in the business of engaging in food aid programs globally. They have the infrastructure. They have the personnel and they understand agriculture. So, the farm bill that is ready to be moved in the house here soon has a provision that would include that,” Kieffer adds.

Senate Preparing for Farm Bill Mark Up

While the Senate Agriculture Committee has not released farm bill language or scheduled a mark-up, chairman John Boozman told Agri-Pulse his committee will take up a farm bill of its own in the coming months. Timing will be dependent in part on how debate over a House version proceeds.

Will Congress Pass a Farm Bill?

Still there’s uncertainty about the appetite for passage of a farm bill in Congress according to Tim Lust, chief executive officer of National Sorghum Producers.

“A lot of these details honestly have been negotiated for a year or two, and it’s maybe little tweaks to them, but a lot of the main things haven’t really changed. It’s a matter of how do we get that across the finish line and find a way to get it signed into law?” he says.

How the Pork Industry is Winning the Talent War

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:37:13 GMT

The competition for the best and brightest minds in agriculture is a competition that the pork industry is devoted to winning. Through a partnership with the National Pork Board (NPB), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and state pork associations, the Pork Industry Leadership Development program is devoted to building the next generation of future leaders.

During this three-part rotational program with experiences at NPB, NPPC and a state pork association, participants gain hands-on experience while finding their niche within the pork industry and helping states fill important leadership needs.

“I’ve been very grateful for producer investment in my early career, getting the formative development I was looking for after graduating with my degree in animal science,” says the second participant in the program, Harrison Furlow. Furlow now serves as public policy director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

He says one of the best parts of the program is that it truly brings together a “village” of industry leaders to help provide participants with a well-rounded experience.

“I think that’s the best part of the immersion program,” Furlow says. “Not only do you get the benefit of networking with great people, but the relationships that you build by collaborating with these different organizations, sometimes at the same time, are just going to be intrinsically that much stronger.”

For Mykenzie Darg, the third and current participant in the program, the program has allowed her a unique opportunity to tailor her experience to her interests. Growing up in north-central Iowa, Darg started showing pigs and goats when she was in high school.

“I knew then that I wanted to be in agriculture and specifically the swine industry and its people really drew me in,” she says.

While pursuing degrees in agriculture communications and international agriculture at Iowa State University, she also completed a production internship with The Hanor Co. During her senior year, she interned with Iowa Farm Bureau where her interest in policy was sparked. She has completed her experience at NPB and is now working with NPPC before she moves on to her third phase at Oklahoma Pork Council.

Furlow and Darg share some of their insights from the program.

How has the program challenged you?

Furlow: I am not wired to be a “handshaker”people person and I struggle with small talk. It is hard for me to get out of that bubble and out of my comfort zone when we are at conferences or meetings. I’m a problem solver. I’m a doer. I want to talk about the meat and potatoes. Through the immersion program, whether you’re attending regional conferences, National Pork Industry Forum or World Pork Expo, you’re always on, and you’re getting to meet great people. I think for me, as someone who’s naturally introverted, the community that rallies around the immersion program made that so much more manageable for me. I now look forward to going to conferences and events because I’ve gained friends and mentors that I will get to see.

Darg: I’m probably the opposite of Harrison in that area. It’s not that I don’t want to solve problems and all that, but I thrive off people connections. I need that, and it’s how I fill my cup by being out and about around people who are passionate about the same things I am passionate about. It’s almost like a motivator and then I can go back to my desk and do the work.

What makes you want to follow a career path in the pork industry?

Darg: My motivator is always the producers – they fuel my fire. When I think about the investment that they have not only in me, but the people I work with, and the opportunities I’ve been given to go out across the country and learn about pork production across the United States, it’s overwhelming.

Furlow: I think one of the best parts of working on Team Pork is that we have an incredible story to tell on behalf of American pork producers. Whether it’s the product or the way that we leverage the We Care ethical principles, pork producers’ stories are easy to tell.

What are some of the challenges that keep you up at night?

Furlow: We face a pretty broad slate of almost existential challenges, whether it’s changing technology or market disruptions or political turbulence. We’ve seen how that’s affected other sectors, but at the end of the day, it’s programs like the immersion program that speak to this idea of unity. A unified front is always going to be more effective, especially when the challenges you face are so diverse. If we leverage our human capital to truly be a unified team, programs like the immersion program, which bring together our team players in one fell swoop, make me worry less. I think part of my job is to be a worrier, but it’s also to be a problem solver. Yeah, there are challenges for pork, no doubt. But when we’ve got the story that we’ve got and the producer leaders that we can share about and learn from. I am assured our credibility and purpose will win the day.

Darg: I’m here to support them and help make producing pork easier for them. How can I help address the things that are problems for them? How can I be an influential plug in the industry to support those people who are on the ground doing the work every single day to produce pork?

What advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a similar path?

Darg: I thought I wanted to be a chiropractor. Up until two weeks before freshman year, I was pre-med. I was always passionate about agriculture, but I just didn’t understand the opportunities. It took a day at the county fair for my FFA advisor, who has been a huge influence in my life and still is today, to ask me, ‘Mykenzie, are you sure? Think about all these opportunities.’ I’m grateful for him and the other ag leaders in my life who encouraged me to pursue a path in agriculture and took a chance on me. All it takes is having a conversation and learning about the opportunities and all the places that you can go. So, spend time talking to people and asking questions if you want to learn more about what jobs in the industry might look like.

Furlow: The thing about agriculture and the pork industry is if you’re involved here, you’re never alone. Even if you give just a little, you gain a lot. I think about my start. My parents aren’t pork producers, let alone farmers. Local producers practically adopted me during my teenage years and poured a lot of time and effort into showing somebody who had just a little bit of passion how big the world was. So, whether you’re unsure about your next career step and considering joining Team Pork, or if you’re a pork professional passionate for advocacy and producer engagement, I’d encourage you to consider taking the leap and joining this incredible community of leaders and problem solvers. Once you’re here, you’re never alone, and I think that makes some of these challenges that we face a little bit less intimidating, too.

If you want to apply for the Pork Industry Leadership Development program or know someone who should consider it, encourage them to apply and learn more here .

Applications are open for the next immersion program until March 13.

Watch Harrison Furlow on The PORK Podcast:

Read More:
From the D.C. Metro to Pork Country: Harrison Furlow Brings Policy to the Slat Level

Why Did Chicago Public Schools Ban Pork?

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 23:43:51 GMT

UPDATE: Josh Maschhoff, current past president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, is traveling to Chicago on Feb. 26 to address the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education. He will be calling for a formal review of the district’s pork prohibition impacting 630 schools that currently cannot serve pork at breakfast or lunch.

Of the 350,000 free meals served daily at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) through the Community Eligibility Provision, none include pork. Despite being a staple in Chicago households, an “illusive” vote during a virtual COVID-era board meeting quietly removed this nutrient-dense protein from the menu.

So why did CPS ban pork? That’s a mystery the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is trying to solve.

“We found out in February 2025, really by accident, there is an all-pork ban at all the Chicago Public Schools in our state,” says Jennifer Tirey, IPPA executive director.

IPPA sent Illinois public school food service directors a new resource from the National Pork Board designed to help public schools prepare nutritious, tasty pork dishes for large audiences of people.

“We received a response back from the food service director at CPS,” Tirey says. “It said, ‘Well, thank you for this resource. However, we have a ban on pork and we can’t serve pork – not for breakfast, not for lunch. None of our meals can ever have pork in it.’”

According to the CPS School Wellness Policy , all menu items must be “pork-free.”

A Cultural Disconnect

That means 325,305 students across 634 schools are not allowed to have pork as an offering despite efforts to accommodate other religious, ethnic and personal beliefs of Chicago students.

A high demographic of CPS is Hispanic and African American – approximately 85% or 265,124 students. According to 2024-2025 data, 47.3% are Latino/Hispanic, 34.2% are Black/African American and 11.3% are White. Pork consumption is high among these groups in Chicago, according to data compiled by Numerator, with 79.6% of Hispanic households and 75.8% of African American households regularly consuming fresh pork.

“Those families probably don’t even realize that something they hold so culturally close to them is no longer accessible to their kids,” Tirey notes. “It’s not fair that their children cannot access this valuable protein.”

A Missed Opportunity

CPS participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and receives USDA Foods, which are provided to school districts at reduced or no cost to help meet federal nutrition requirements. Section 32 and Pork Eligibility Pork products are included in the USDA Section 32 purchasing program, which allows USDA to procure surplus and domestically produced agricultural commodities

“The district is unable to accept or serve USDA-provided pork, and CPS forgoes access to a nutrient-dense, high-quality protein available through federal procurement,” Tirey says. “On a weekly basis, CPS misses out on approximately $5.51 million in federal reimbursements because roughly 39% of students skip lunch and 56% skip breakfast.”

One of the major reasons kids skip meals is because they don’t like what is being served, Tirey points out. At a time when inflation is causing everyone to pull back on spending, can CPS afford not to take advantage of these opportunities to provide a high-quality protein to students?

“CPS’ long-term debt is over $9 billion as of June 30, 2025,” Tirey says. “CPS’s short-term debt is $450 million on top of that.”

Allowing pork within CPS meal planning could improve program flexibility and align with federal procurement systems already designed to help districts manage costs, she adds.

“For example, most people think of sausage as pork sausage,” Tirey says. “By swapping out a pork sausage patty for a beef sausage patty at breakfast alone, it would save CPS $1.2 million over 180 days.”

Nutrient-Dense Protein

CPS dietitians indicated to IPPA through emails they were unaware of the original reasoning behind the pork ban. Although religious accommodation was suggested as a possible basis, there is no evidence in the record this was ever a consideration. CPS routinely offers multiple entrée options.

“We met with CPS nutrition leadership to share that pork is a high-quality, nutrient-dense protein that is culturally relevant to CPS students while being affordable and operationally feasible,” Tirey says. “Despite initial openness to discussion, CPS later declined to pursue any consideration of pork menu offerings due to the existing CPS policy.”

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued in January by USDA and Health and Human Services, emphasize the importance of adequate daily protein intake and encouraging consumption of nutrient-dense protein foods as part of healthy dietary patterns.

“Updated guidance reflects growing consensus that higher protein intake supports child growth, muscle development, satiety and overall health,” she says. “The guidelines recognize a range of animal and plant protein sources, including red meat — as appropriate components of a balanced diet when prepared and served in nutrient-dense forms.”

Pork qualifies as a nutrient-dense protein because it provides essential nutrients such as high-quality complete protein, iron, zinc and Vitamin B, including B12. It also provides choline, which is important for brain development in school-aged children.

According to a research article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , high relative energy requirements for children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years signify micronutrient density needs are below mean global nutrient density needs across all life stages for folate, zinc, and vitamins A and B12, though calcium density needs remain high to support skeletal growth. Entering puberty, adolescent girls ages 10 to 19 also show increased iron density needs (11% higher than the global mean).

Chicago Families Deserve a Choice

“Families should get to decide what works for their kids,” Tirey says. “We are asking for a policy review focused on choice and inclusion. Menus should reflect many cultures and preferences. Pork is a nutrient-dense protein option that is affordable and adds to a well-balanced meal that works within a school’s budget.”

IPPA is requesting the following action from the CPS Board:

Initiate a formal review of the Local School Wellness Policy provision prohibiting pork.
Direct staff to identify the original rationale and supporting documentation for the ban.
Consider input from nutrition experts, food service partners and community stakeholders.
Evaluate whether pilot programs or limited menu testing are appropriate.

What do parents want from school meals? According to Tirey, a mother of two, it starts with enough protein to keep kids full and focused and nutrients that support energy and learning. As a parent, she desires affordable options that don’t sacrifice quality. Most importantly, she wants meals kids will actually eat.

“Pork provides high-quality protein that helps kids stay full longer,” Tirey says. “Pork provides iron and B12 support brain development and energy, in addition to thiamin that is essential for growth and metabolism. In a time when school food budgets are stretched, pork provides an affordable option that doesn’t sacrifice nutrition.”

Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), a former CPS student, is sponsoring SR 625 calling for CPS to review the ban along with Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), House Ag Chairwoman, who is sponsoring HR 625 . Both have districts that represent CPS.

The legislators say a policy review is warranted for five reasons: alignment with current nutrition science; cultural inclusion and equity; student choice and accommodation; fiscal responsibility and transparency; and governance.

(Photo by Taylor Flowe on Unsplash)

Inconclusive FOIA Requests

Since February 2025, IPPA has submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to CPS to find out why this policy was implemented. CPS declined to comment to Farm Journal’s PORK’s request for a response.

“The vote was made during a virtual board meeting, and the update to the wellness policy was voted on consent calendar,” Tirey explains. “There was no verbal discussion during that board meeting about that particular change. To be quite honest, a lot of the comments were about COVID and how to get students back to school. But in the middle of all that, this ban was implemented.”

The facts don’t add up. Even CPS board members haven’t been able to explain why there is a ban on pork, she says. Both FOIA requests filed with CPS came back with inconclusive findings.

“The last thing we want to do is approach an issue without having all the facts,” Tirey says. “What we are really hoping to find out is how we got to this point. At this juncture, we are working with the Illinois Attorney General’s office to help narrow our focus even further, because the second FOIA response said that the responses were too many for them to share because of the number of keywords.”

On Feb. 4, Tirey sent an email to every CPS Board of Education member regarding CPS’s policy that prohibits all pork products in school meals. Although IPPA was not selected through the lottery system to speak at the January board meeting, Tirey wanted to make sure the board was “aware of our position and concerns.” IPPA’s position statement can be found here on the CPS website.

IPPA will register again for the Feb. 26 meeting, of which five are in the lottery.

“We haven’t solved the issue yet,” Tirey says. “But I’m a pretty driven individual and I’m going to keep working until we get pork back on the menu in Chicago Public Schools.”

USDA's Proposed Changes to Line Speed Rules Will Boost Pork Processing Capacity

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:33:15 GMT

USDA has proposed updates to federal line speed regulations in pork establishments operating under modern inspection systems to increase efficiency at pork processing plants. USDA says these updates reflect years of data and experience and are designed to lower costs for American families, reduce outdated regulatory barriers for processors and support a more efficient and resilient food supply.

“As Secretary, my responsibility is to ensure that American families have access to affordable, safe and abundant food,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “These updates remove outdated bottlenecks so that we can lower production costs and create greater stability in our food system. By bringing our regulations in line with proven, real-world capabilities, we are supporting a stronger supply chain, giving producers and processors the certainty they need and helping keep groceries more affordable for every household.”

The proposal aims to remove maximum line speed limits for establishments operating under NSIS. Participating establishments will be allowed to set their own line speeds based on their demonstrated ability to maintain process controls and food safety, rather than adhering to a strict maximum speed limit.

USDA says the proposals maintain full federal oversight in every establishment and reaffirm the authority of inspectors to slow or stop operations whenever inspection cannot be performed effectively.

“Greater efficiency of increased line speeds provides financial security and more stability for pork producers,” says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president Duane Stateler, an Ohio pork producer. “Without the NSIS program, some pork producers could have incurred an additional loss of nearly $10 a head.”

USDA says these actions provide clarity and consistency for establishments that have operated for years under a patchwork of waivers, pilots and temporary measures, and will replace uncertainty with predictable, long-term rules. The updated regulations would also reduce redundant paperwork for the industry by removing worker safety attestations that fall outside USDA’s statutory authority.

“The Meat Institute has supported changes to line speed rules for pork and poultry processing through four administrations,” says Meat Institute president and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “With this long overdue regulatory certainty, our member companies can invest in their operations to continue growth of the processing sector which benefits the consumer with more affordable and nutritious food.”

Since 2019, NPPC has advocated for increased line speeds.

“We’ve been working on this bill for years,” Bryan Humphreys, NPPC CEO said at the Illinois Swine Mixer on Tuesday. “It’s a big win.”

Here’s a look at the major milestones leading up to this proposal.

November 2021: FSIS permitted increased line speeds at six pork packing plants while simultaneously gathering data to evaluate potential worker impacts.
November 2023: FSIS extended the trials for an additional 90 days.
February 2024: FSIS again extended the trials through Jan. 15, 2025.
April 2024: USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Sandra Eskin discussed the pilot program with producers at NPPC’s legislative action conference.
June 2024: U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry ranking member John Boozman (R-AR) introduced his Farm Bill framework, making permanent the program, among several NPPC priorities.
January 2025, FSIS released the results of a months-long study at six plants, concluding “line speeds were not determined to be the leading factor in worker musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk at these plants.”
March 2025: USDA announced plans to make permanent the NSIS increased line speed program.

NPPC says it plans to continue to work with FSIS to ensure greater efficiency and food safety within pork processing plants.

USDA invites public comment on both proposed rules. Comments will be accepted for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. More information will be available at www.regulations.gov .

Chairman Thompson’s Farm Bill 2.0 Includes Federal Fix for Prop 12

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:22:12 GMT

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s (R-PA) Farm Bill 2.0 includes a federal fix to the “massive issues caused by the impending and disastrous patchwork of state laws spurred by California Proposition 12,” National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said.

The House Agriculture Committee released the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on Feb. 13. The text includes clarification that states and local governments cannot impose, directly or indirectly, as a condition for sale or consumption, a condition or standard on the production of covered livestock unless the livestock is physically located within such state or local government. In addition, the text:

Provides clarity to national markets by ensuring producers must only comply with applicable production standards imposed by their own state or local government.
Protects producers from having to comply with a patchwork of state-by-state regulations.
Protects the rights of states and local governments to establish standards as they deem necessary, but only for those raising covered livestock within their own borders.
Only covers production (excluding domestic animals raised for the primary purpose of egg production), and does not include the movement, harvesting or further processing of covered livestock.

“America’s pork producers thank Chairman Thompson for continuing to take bold steps once again to protect our livelihoods from an unsustainable patchwork of state laws,” said NPPC President Duane Stateler, an Ohio pork producer. “We implore the full House Agriculture Committee to stand up for the American farmer, preserve states’ rights and help keep pork affordable for the American consumers.”

Prop 12 Problems

NPPC said Chairman Thompson and other leaders in D.C. remain dedicated to protecting producers’ freedom to farm by finding a solution to Prop 12. NPPC detailed the following problems that continue to plague Americans because of Prop 12:

Tramples on states’ rights
“Prop 12 sets a precedent that undermines the foundation of interstate commerce, allowing a single state to dictate how food is produced across the country—even when that food is produced outside its borders,” NPPC said. “Fixing Prop 12 protects the rights of states by allowing each the exclusive right to regulate how livestock are produced within their borders.”
- In passing Prop 12, California violated Congress’ exclusive constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce. Congressional action to fix this is rooted in Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution: “The Congress shall have the power … To regulate commerce … among the several states” (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3).
A patchwork of regulations
“Prop 12 sets the stage for a patchwork of 50 state laws, dictating different versions of animal housing laws, which all producers—no matter the state they farm in— must comply with if they want to sell their pork to all consumers,” NPPC said.
- NPPC Vice President and Ohio pork producer Pat Hord, who has retrofitted his barns to be Prop 12-compliant, has told Congress that compliance does not future-proof farmers from more financial burdens if patchwork laws are not addressed.
  
  “Whatever I do today could need to be changed when a new state decides they want a different housing standard,” Hord said. “These are expensive changes, and some farmers may exit the business amid this uncertainty, which increases consolidation.”
Industry consolidation
“Prop 12 leads to industry consolidation, potentially crushing small and medium-sized farms,” NPPC said. “While even large farms cannot sustain ongoing changes to sow housing laws, they are more likely to be able to afford the initial changes mandated by Prop 12. Contrarily, smaller and independent producers often cannot. This means fewer family farms and reduced competition across the industry.”
- In the first quarter of 2025, NPPC reports that 12% of small pork operations ( less than 500 sows) exited the market or shifted production away from breeding due to compliance costs and uncertainty, according to USDA.
Ignores the experts
“Prop 12 ignores expert veterinary advice and chips away at sound veterinary options,” NPPC wrote. “The American Veterinary Medical Association says Prop 12 does ‘not objectively improve animal welfare and may unintentionally cause harm.’”
- The housing requirement established by Prop 12 is arbitrary, lacks a scientific or animal welfare foundation, and disregards the expertise of producers and veterinarians whose professional responsibility is to safeguard animal health, NPPC said.
Raises prices for consumers
“Prop 12 makes pork less affordable at the grocery store,” NPPC pointed out. “The latest data shows increased retail prices in California are still more than 20% higher than before Prop 12 took effect.”
Trade issues
“Prop 12 causes problems with trading partners,” NPPC explained. “Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, for example, states are not permitted to create non-tariff barriers to trade.”

A Modern Bill for Modern Challenges

“This bill provides modern policies for modern challenges and is shaped by years of listening to the needs of farmers, ranchers, and rural Americans,” Thompson said. “The farm bill affects our entire country, regardless of whether you live on a farm, and I look forward to seeing my colleagues in Congress work together to get this critical legislation across the finish line.”

Thompson said a new farm bill is long overdue, and the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 is an important step forward in providing certainty to farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

“We made historic agricultural investments last summer in the Working Families Tax Cuts (H.R. 1), but there are many key policy components that remain to be addressed,” Thompson said. “With that in mind, the House Committee on Agriculture will begin marking up a new farm bill February 23.”

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) said review of the legislative text is ongoing.

“Based on what I know, the Republican farm bill fails to meet the moment facing farmers and working people,” Craig said. “Farmers need Congress to act swiftly to end inflationary tariffs, stabilize trade relationships, expand domestic market opportunities like year-round E15 and help lower input costs. The Republican majority instead chose to ignore Democratic priorities and focus on pushing a shell of a farm bill with poison pills that complicates if not derails chances of getting anything done.”

A fix for Prop 12 is backed by nearly 1,000 agriculture groups across more than 40 states, including the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) praised efforts by Thompson and the House Agriculture Committee to put together a farm bill that will bring greater certainty to producers at a difficult time.

“Dairy farmers look forward to working with House members and senators as this legislation makes its way through Congress, and we pledge our support in crafting the best legislation possible,” NMPF said.

The House Committee on Agriculture will begin marking up a new farm bill Feb. 23, Thompson said.

A Trade Win for Beef and Pork: U.S. and Taiwan Sign Agreement on Reciprocal Trade

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:31:21 GMT

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the signing of an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade between the United States and Taiwan that includes significant market access gains for U.S. red meat.

“The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with Taiwan will eliminate tariff and nontariff barriers facing U.S. exports to Taiwan, furthering opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, fishermen, workers, small businesses and manufacturers,” Ambassador Jamieson Greer said . “This agreement also builds on our longstanding economic and trade relationship with Taiwan and will significantly enhance the resilience of our supply chains, particularly in high-technology sectors.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins praised the agreement on X, saying this will open up real markets and boost opportunities for rural communities.

New trade deal with our partner, Taiwan!
🇺🇸🤝🇹🇼

THANK YOU @POTUS and @USTradeRep. Under the new U.S.–Taiwan Reciprocal Trade Agreement, Taiwan is cutting or eliminating tariffs on nearly all U.S. agricultural exports — from animal protein like beef, pork, and dairy to corn,… https://t.co/44xmlzP04o
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 13, 2026

U.S. Beef’s Potential to Grow Export Opportunities
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says this will strengthen one of the most important and fastest-growing markets for U.S. beef. Taiwan is the fifth largest market for U.S. beef, with exports valued at about $650 million, and the U.S. is the largest supplier of beef to Taiwan.

“There is still potential for further growth with the increased access for all U.S. beef products, including those in high demand for yakiniku barbecue and trendy burger concepts,” U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said. “The elimination of tariffs on U.S. beef will definitely improve our competitiveness.”

Foreign markets play a critical role in producer profitability with beef exports accounting for more than $415 per fed cattle processed in 2024, NCBA President Gene Copenhaver explained.

“Strong, science-based trade agreements are essential to adding value for U.S. cattle producers, and Taiwan has emerged as one of the strongest international markets for U.S. beef,” Copenhaver said. “Duty-free access improves competitiveness and provides long-term certainty for producers who depend on export markets to maximize the value of every animal. American cattle producers look forward to this expanded market access for years to come thanks to the work of President Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer.”

Securing Greater Market Access for U.S. Pork
It’s also a step forward for the U.S. pork industry as U.S. pork has been “widely disadvantaged in Taiwan,” USMEF said. The EU and Canada currently dominate Taiwan’s pork imports.

“USMEF is optimistic that reducing both tariffs and nontariff barriers will help enable larger U.S. pork exports to Taiwan, as USMEF remains focused on regaining Taiwanese consumer trust in U.S. pork,” USMEF said.

Organizations say this trade deal reinforces science-based standards consistent with the World Organization for Animal Health and Codex Alimentarius.

“I would like to thank President Trump and Ambassadors Greer and Callahan for their hard work,” said Lori Stevermer, a Minnesota pig farmer. “This agreement stands to boost U.S. pork exports by cutting tariffs in half. It also requires Taiwan to follow maximum residue levels (MRLs) set by Codex for ractopamine in pork fat, kidney, liver and muscle. While not always as obvious as a tariff reduction, by accepting USDA FSIS inspections, audits and export certificates, this agreement reduces the nontariff barriers we face and allows opportunities for more plants to export pork. Overall, U.S. pig farmers will have greater market access to a country that loves pork and that’s good for our farms and businesses.”

Additionally, within six months Taiwan must recognize the African swine fever protection zone established by the U.S.

“Our 15-plus year endeavor to break down trade barriers in the high-value market of Taiwan has paid off,” said NPPC president Duane Stateler, an Ohio pork producer. “This means more U.S. pork on international tables and more opportunities and prosperity for American producers.”

Read the Fact Sheet on U.S.-Taiwan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade

Trump, Zeldin Announce 'Largest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History'

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:45:13 GMT

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the “single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history” alongside President Trump in the White House today.

EPA is eliminating both the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action also eliminates all off-cycle credits, including for the start-stop feature.

President Trump’s Day 1 Executive Order 14154 “Unleashing American Energy” tasked EPA with submitting recommendations on the legality and continuing applicability of this finding in the first 30 days of this term. On March 12, 2025, Zeldin announced that the agency was kicking off a formal reconsideration of the finding and resulting regulations. Zeldin formally announced the agency’s proposal to reconsider these actions on July 29, 2025.

“EPA’s historic move restores consumer choice, makes more affordable vehicles available for American families, and decreases the cost of living on all products by lowering the cost of trucks,” EPA said in a release .

Former President Barack Obama commented on X that because of the endangerment finding: “we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”

Today, the Trump administration repealed the endangerment finding: the ruling that served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules. Without it, we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 12, 2026

Saving Taxpayer Dollars
The administration says the final rule will save American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion in regulations, by removing the regulatory requirements to measure, report, certify and comply with federal GHG emission standards for motor vehicles, and repeals associated compliance programs, credit provisions, and reporting obligations that exist solely to support the vehicle GHG regulatory regime.

“Lee is also working on cleaning up the horrible situation with regard to farm equipment,” President Trump said. “You could use John Deere as an example and other companies where tractors are unbelievably expensive and don’t work as well because of all of the environmental nonsense that was put on them. But the people are going to be a beneficiary because the equipment is going to be a lot less expensive and most importantly it’s going to work much better.”

This major deregulatory process included ‘substantial public input and robust analysis’ of the law following the Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and West Virginia v. EPA. The agency held an extended 52-day public comment period, which included four days of virtual public hearings where more than 600 individuals testified. EPA received about 572,000 public comments on the proposed rule and made substantial updates to the final rule in response to comments.

“The Endangerment Finding has been the source of 16 years of consumer choice restrictions and trillions of dollars in hidden costs for Americans,” Zeldin said in a release. “Referred to by some as the ‘Holy Grail’ of the ‘climate change religion,’ the Endangerment Finding is now eliminated. The Trump EPA is strictly following the letter of the law, returning commonsense to policy, delivering consumer choice to Americans and advancing the American Dream.”

Affordable vehicle ownership is essential to the American Dream and a primary driver of economic mobility out of poverty in the U.S., the Agency explained. This action will result in average cost savings of over $2,400 per vehicle.

“As EPA Administrator, I am proud to deliver the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history on behalf of American taxpayers and consumers,” Zeldin said. “As an added bonus, the off-cycle credit for the almost universally despised start-stop feature on vehicles has been removed.”

What Does This Mean for the Future?
Climate scientists say the overturning of the endangerment finding undermines decades of scientific progress and damages the credibility of U.S. institutions tasked with protecting the environment, the Associated Press reports. Scientists point out that rising global temperatures — the hottest years on record have all occurred since 2009 — cause more extreme weather that endangers people and causes billions of dollars in damage from more frequent and severe heat waves, wildfires, droughts and catastrophic flooding from more-intense storms.

The EPA action repeals all GHG emissions standards for cars and trucks, but experts believe it could trigger a broader undoing of climate regulations for stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, AP reports.

David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told AP that this could prevent future administrations from proposing rules to address global warming because they would have to restart the scientific and legal process to establish a new endangerment finding, which could take years and face legal challenges.

Preserving the Future: How Tennessee is Protecting Farmland While Driving Development

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:59:16 GMT

How is Tennessee, one of the fastest-growing states in the country, balancing economic development while still protecting farmland? Gov. Bill Lee says it’s one of the state’s greatest challenges, but he believes there is a way to do both.

Last year, Lee signed the Tennessee Farmland Preservation Act into law, tasking the Tennessee Department of Agriculture with developing a grant program to incentivize farmland owners to voluntarily enroll their land in a permanent conservation easement.

“We lose 9 acres an hour to development,” Lee said at the 2026 Top Producer Summit . “We recognize that agriculture is our No. 1 driver of our economy, so we have to preserve farmland. This act will incentivize farm property, and agriculture property in particular, to be put in land trusts so it can never be developed. This effort has been widely accepted by farmers and is beginning to take effect.”

Where is the Push for Economic Development in Tennessee?

Although economic development is taking place in many different forms, the state of Tennessee is seeing a big push for data centers. For some farmers, this could be the revenue generator they’ve been waiting on, but for others, it’s a contentious issue.

“If we are going to have a data center, it has to work for all of us,” Lee says. “Most important is that the impact on the grid for power is one that our state can effectively manage.”

He believes the data centers and the companies behind them should be partners with the state and with regulatory bodies.

“They should come in and say, ‘If we’re going to come here, this is what we will deliver to the state,’” Lee says. “Besides just the investment in dollars and what they will take from the grid, how will they deliver to the state?”

AI, a major data center and supercomputing facility in Memphis, is an example of a good partnership, he says.

“They are producing their own power and contributing to the grid. It’s a great partnership and model for things that we should be looking for in the future,” Lee adds.

How is Tennessee Helping Farmers?

Tennessee crop farmers are feeling pain right now like their peers across the country.

“It’s a tough environment for crop farmers,” Lee says. “We’ve seen the staggering losses some of our producers have experienced. But they’re very resilient people. They know that a few years ago, crop prices were good. Right now, they’re really bad. A lot of patience is required in farming, and they know that.”

Stability and predictability are nearly impossible to have in agriculture, he says. But he’s working to help provide stability and predictability from a federal standpoint through ag policy efforts.

“I think that’s what farmers look for more than anything,” Lee says. “They don’t want a rescue or an immediate solution to the problem they have. I think farmers want some indication of what stability looks like and what predictability looks like and what they can expect in the future.”

From a livestock standpoint, Tennessee has been investing heavily in the development of more local processing options.

“We do believe that locally sourced products are helpful to our own ag community,” he says. “To the degree that we can facilitate that in this state, we ought to do it. We’ve broadly expanded our ability to process beef in this state. We’re not nearly where we need to be, but we’re headed in the right direction.”

Creating a Pipeline for Agriculture

Lee is passionate about thinking about the future and creating pathways for skilled trades, especially in the agriculture industry. His experience running a company in the skilled trades business — plumbers, pipefitters, electricians and welders — has helped him see the need firsthand.

“One of the most important things we can do is recognize that kids’ giftings are really different,” Lee says.

Lee’s passion to better meet the demand for skilled labor came to fruition through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) Act.

“It created, initially, a $1-million program in high schools for vocational, technical and agricultural education programs,” he says. “It led to $500 million in middle school career and technical education programs, and ultimately $1 billion in our colleges of technology that deliver ag education, technical education and vocational education. We have removed the waitlist for our colleges of technology. We’re delivering 10,000 more workers a year who are skilled tradesmen.”

He believes it’s one of the reasons Tennessee has so many global companies making the decision to come to the state.

“We have a lot of activity here economically because the state with the workers is going to win every time,” Lee says. “We started seven years ago by creating a workforce that was much more diverse than what it had been previously, and that includes agricultural education.”

As a cattle producer and proud Tennessean, Lee says he’s most proud of how he’s helped support the state’s future in agriculture by investing in youth and the technologies that will be the future.

“It will be fun for me to look back years from now and say, ‘I’m really glad we did that. Ag was No. 1 in Tennessee when I was there, and ag is still No. 1 in Tennessee now that I’ve been gone,’” he says. “That’s what I hope for.”

From the D.C. Metro to Pork Country: Harrison Furlow Brings Policy to the Slat Level

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:39:07 GMT

It’s not every day you find a policy leader in the heart of the pork industry who got his start in the shadow of the nation’s capital. Harrison Furlow’s journey from the Washington D.C. metro area to the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is a testament to what happens when curiosity meets a “Shark Tank” level of determination.

Growing up in an urban sprawl, Furlow’s path to livestock wasn’t traditional. To give their family a taste of rural life, his parents purchased a small acreage with a peculiar catch: the property came with five alpacas they were required to raise.

The alpacas didn’t scare him off. A few years later, he made a “Shark Tank-style” presentation to his parents to secure his first 4-H project animals: dairy goats. From there, he moved to cattle, and finally, to the species that would define his career: pigs.

“I owe my parents a great deal for getting me started and supporting me all the way through my early ag endeavors,” he says. “I attribute most of my stockmanship skills to the early mentoring I got from local farmers, 4-H leaders and producers who would adopt me on the evenings and weekends, taking me to bull sales, livestock shows and judging competitions.”

Growing up in the D.C. metro area, the local consumer asked for niche-marketed or outdoor-raised meat products, Furlow says. In addition to showing pigs, he also gained experience raising niche pork breeds such as mulefoot and guinea hogs.

Washington Roots, Iowa Boots

To truly understand the industry, Furlow knew he had to see it at scale. He moved to Iowa to study animal science at Iowa State University and eventually became the second participant in the Pork Industry Immersion Program. This program provides a three-part rotational program with experiences at the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and a state pork association.

His time with NPPC was particularly formative. Moving to D.C. just days after President Donald Trump’s second term inauguration, Furlow was tasked with tracking the impact of executive orders on the agricultural sector.

“This allowed me to sharpen what I’m passionate about — policy research and advocacy — but it also gave me the space to ‘nerd out’ and examine both the specific micro-level and macro-level broad impacts of President Trump’s use of executive authority and what it meant to producers.”

Just before he was to move on to the third phase of his program with Minnesota Pork Board, Furlow applied for and was named the public policy director at the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

The Most Credible Voice in the Room

Although he was looking forward to going to Minnesota to learn from its leaders, Furlow says this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up to pursue his passion for impacting policy in the pork industry.

The most powerful tool in his arsenal at the Iowa Pork Producers Association is the producer, he points out.

“Our country’s leaders want to speak with people who have credibility, and there’s no one more credible or passionate than a hog farmer,” he says. “I spend a lot of time calling and meeting with producers to get their expertise on issues, because at the end of the day, it’s not only their voice, but it’s their passion and expertise, that drives the successes we have as an industry.”

If he had one message for decision makers, it would be to ask a simple question: “Have you met a pork producer?”

Furlow believes that for policy to be effective, it must be understood at the “slat level,” where regulation meets the reality of daily farm life.

“People who work in policy should have an understanding of that which they advocate for or defend,” he adds.

Proactive Resilience

In an industry facing market disruptions, changing consumer trends and health challenges, Furlow’s focus is on “proactive resilience.”

“The two questions that keep me up at night are ‘How do we remain a resilient industry?’ and ‘How are we being proactive to sustain and pass on pork operations from one generation to the next?’” he says.

He admits he’s had some turbulence in life and the professional sphere where he’s had to recalibrate.

“Sometimes I’ve had to look at myself in the mirror and just grow up a little bit,” Furlow says. “But at the end of the day, the guiding light from a philosophical perspective that has gotten me through these things has been chasing my passions.”

He encourages others to let go of the stuff in life that brings them down or distracts them from their core interests.

“If you’re able to chase what you’re really passionate about, you’re never going to be alone and you’re never going to miss that North Star,” Furlow adds. “I’m grateful to the pork industry and the great group of people who’ve embraced me and given me the space to grow, develop and transition to this next chapter of my life.”

You can listen to more of Furlow’s story on The PORK Podcast on YouTube or follow The PORK Podcast anywhere podcasts are found.

Congressional Agriculture Leaders Agree on Advancing Workforce, Farm Bill in 2026

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:01:58 GMT

As the second half of the 119th Congress gets into full swing, lawmakers are looking to act on a number of priorities, including passage of a fiscal 2026 funding bill and a new farm bill.

The 2026 fiscal year started Oct. 1, 2025, and the government currently is operating through January under a continuing resolution.

Farm bills govern agricultural and food policy and are typically in place for five years. However, the 2018 Farm Bill expired in Sept. 2023 and subsequently has been extended several times.

Speaking recently at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) said his committee likely will consider a new farm bill markup in late February. Likewise, Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, indicated farm legislation will get done this year.

It is unclear whether the farm bill will include a fix to California Proposition 12, which bans the sale in that state of pork from hogs born to sows raised anywhere in housing that does not meet California’s arbitrary standards. Thompson said he supports inclusion of a fix, meanwhile Boozman highlighted concerns that inclusion would divide Senate lawmakers, making it harder to pass a bill.

Agriculture Committee leaders also agreed that agriculture’s workforce shortage should be addressed by reforming immigration laws. Current law allows such laborers only for temporary and seasonal farm work. Based on recommendations from the bipartisan Agriculture Labor Working Group, with which NPPC worked closely, Thompson is expected to introduce legislation that includes reform to the H-2A visa program for immigrant farmworkers in the first quarter of this year.

In related news, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court Eastern District of California Fresno Division following the U.S. Department of Labor’s publication of the interim final rule, which modified the methodology for calculating the hourly adverse effect wage rate for H-2A nonimmigrant workers. NPPC is monitoring the litigation and will keep members updated.

NPPC’s take:
NPPC supports quick passage of a new farm bill that fixes the problems caused by Proposition 12.

NPPC continues to advocate for the year-round needs for labor in the pork industry. Statutory reform to the H-2A program would allow producers to better utilize the program to continue to supply consumers with affordable and nutritious pork.