Prop 12

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.

Fixing Prop 12: Why Congress Must Protect Farmers from State-Level Regulatory Chaos

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:18:31 GMT

A bipartisan coalition supports a farm bill that protects American farmers (and families seeking affordable food) from California’s overreach—but a handful of House members want to strip it out. They’re making claims that don’t match the record.

Meanwhile, America’s 60,000-plus pork producers need immediate relief from a disastrous patchwork of differing state laws spurred by California Proposition 12, a state law that forces pork producers outside the state’s borders to comply with arbitrary animal housing requirements.

Experienced farmers, credible veterinarians, the president of the United States, and state and federal government officials on both sides of the aisle continue to speak up and defend the freedom to farm by fixing California’s misguided Prop 12.

President Donald Trump:

“…Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution plainly states that Congress – not individual states – has the power to regulate commerce ‘among the several States.’ For many years, this provision has been understood to block efforts by individual states to regulate interstate trade in ways that are discriminatory or burdensome. I will use all authority under the Constitution and U.S. law to stop efforts by California – or other states – that hurt American farmers in other states…”

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins:

Prop. 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.”

“When those ideas, and those rules, and those laws begin to impact other states in such a negative way, that is not what our founders intended. That is not constitutional, and it is not OK.”

“California has the right to do what California wants to do, but the minute that crosses the border and starts to compromise in such a significant way our pork producers, we need to act.”????

“This war against consumer choice and against our farmers forces Californians and those who receive those goods across the country to buy more expensive eggs and pork. California’s actions under Proposition 12 fly in the face of federal jurisdiction and regulation over food production and safety...”

Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack:

“Every state has the right to regulate the activities of farmers within their state borders. Where there’s disagreement is whether states have the right or the ability to extend their view about how livestock should be raised to farmers in other states.”

“At some point in time, somebody’s got to provide some degree of consistency and clarity otherwise you’re just inviting 50 different states to do 50 different iterations of [Prop. 12]. Farmers don’t need the chaos; they need clarity and certainty.”?

“If we don’t take this issue seriously, we’re going to have chaos in the marketplace.”

USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden:

“This internal protectionism is what led to the demise of the Articles of Confederation. If one state can block products from another state, the country ceases to function as a unified national market.”

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR):

“Agriculture needs to stick together … to get this done.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA):

“California’s Proposition 12, along with Massachusetts’ Question 3, are based on arbitrary, nonsensical standards and have resulted in a harmful patchwork of regulations across the 50 states. They’re a threat to Iowa, which leads the nation in pork production, and to farmers and consumers across this country. Consistent with its authorities under the Commerce Clause, it’s time for Congress to solve this problem by passing legislation. Our bill will end California’s war on breakfast and make sure delicious Iowa pork can be sold everywhere.”

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA):

“Proposition 12 is dangerous and arbitrary overregulation that stands in direct opposition to the livelihoods of Iowa pork producers, increases costs for both farmers and consumers, and jeopardizes our nation’s food security.”

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS):

“The United States is constantly faced with non-tariff trade barriers from protectionist countries, which hurts American agriculture’s access to new markets. The last thing we need is for states like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states. Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away.”

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA):

“The data shows that both producers and consumers are facing significant cost increases due to Prop 12.?It begs the question – if producers are paying more, and consumers are paying more, who is winning?”

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN):

“Any true representative of farm country knows that Prop 12 is a concern for producers on both sides. We cannot ignore the questions and challenges Prop 12 raises. Even the Biden administration’s Ag Secretary said we need to treat this issue seriously to ensure stability in the marketplace. I agree that we cannot have 50 states with 50 different regulatory frameworks because of the significant challenges it would present to producers, but I believe that there are ways to avoid that situation.”

Former House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott (D-GA):

“We have a substantial burden on our interstate commerce and the implications that this may have on the producers.”

Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.):

“We need a long-term solution that does not disadvantage eastern North Carolina producers or others and potentially put some out of business. I work with anyone, to be clear, anyone on this committee to come up with that fix and a workable solution. But for us to not address this, I believe would be a fatal mistake–fatal mistake for our pork producers.”

Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL):

“But this is where state rights—one state’s rights—run up against the rights of companies that reside and operate in other states. It runs up against their ability to make a living… Some decisions should be left to the states, who know their own agricultural realities best.”

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA):

“California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3 pose a major threat to family farms and food security—both in Iowa and across the country.”

Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA):

“For too long, Iowa’s hog farmers have faced growing uncertainty because of California’s egregious Proposition 12. This unfair mandate has imposed costly, unscientific regulations on pork producers across the country – even though California produces less than one-tenth of one percent of the nation’s hogs.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds:

“With Proposition 12, California has set out-of-touch, arbitrary requirements for how producers should operate their farming businesses. California activists now claim to know what’s best for the producers who have raised livestock from generation to generation.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis:

“You also have the situation where a state like California could adopt something like Proposition 12, and that ends up having a devastating impact in Iowa because of the size of California’s market. I don’t think California should be able to dictate how people are producing pork. I mean, that’s just not good for the economy. It’s not the way the system was designed to work. And I want states to be able to make their own decisions, but when they’re trying to do things that have an effect outside their state, well, that’s a different beast there. And I think what they’ve done -- they do these initiatives, people don’t even know what they’re voting on. They have no sense of how that would impact people who are actually in the industry. It’s just kind of a thing that someone gets on the ballot, it sounds good, so they do it. That is not the way you do policy, particularly. And you don’t want any industry, agriculture or others, to be at the mercy of the whims of the state like California, like that is just not going to work for this country.”

American Veterinary Medical Association:

“The arbitrary housing requirements in Prop 12 do not objectively improve animal welfare and may unintentionally cause harm.”

American Association of Swine Veterinarians:

“The ballot initiative does not objectively improve animal welfare. In fact, in some cases, it may compromise animal welfare.”

California’s Department of Food and Agriculture:

“Animal confinement space allowances prescribed in the Act are not based in specific peer-reviewed published scientific literature or accepted as standards within the scientific community to reduce human food-borne illness, promote worker safety, the environment, or other human or safety concerns.”

Ruben Guerra, Latin Business Association Chairman:

“The impacts of Proposition 12 are devastating our Latino businesses and families across California. With pork prices soaring up to 41% higher than the rest of the country and more than one in three Latino adults already living in food-insecure households, this misguided law is creating unintended food insecurity in our communities.”

Lilly Rocha, Latino Restaurant Association Executive Director:

“It would be one thing if the regulations imposed on pork producers were based on data and scientific research. But it’s not. We’ve had a great pork industry forever. Why do we need to change a good thing all of a sudden? It makes no sense. It seems to be regulation stemming from a social agenda, not a scientific one.”

In addition, a coalition of agricultural associations representing millions of members are urging Congress to fix Prop. 12. Click here to read the letter.

Prop 12 Impact: Pork Prices Surge 20% as Producers Push for Farm Bill Solution

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:15:02 GMT

Two years after full implementation, California’s Proposition 12 continues to drive pork prices higher, according to new research from the North Dakota State University Agricultural Risk Policy Center .

The study reveals that prices for covered pork products have increased by an average of 20% compared to the rest of the country. As food affordability concerns grow, agricultural leaders are calling on Congress to address the “patchwork” of state regulations through federal legislation.

Data Shows Significant Price Hikes for Pork Cuts

The NDSU data highlights how Prop 12 has specifically impacted various pork products:

Pork Loins: Up 32%
Ribs: Up 22%
Shoulders: Up 16%
Bacon: Up 16%

In total, California consumers have paid an additional $350 million for pork products, leading to a significant decline in consumption across the state.

Relative to the pre-policy baseline, the retail price gap widened by 72.7 cents per pound in California and 62.8 cents per pound in Massachusetts, with a pooled increase of 71.2 cents per pound. These effects extend across major covered cuts, and California’s share of national pork purchases remains below its pre-policy level, declining from 8.5% to 7.1%, a relative reduction of approximately 16%.

“Overall, the evidence shows that Proposition 12 created a segmented market for compliant pork, sustained higher retail prices in compliant states, reduced relative purchases, and generated consumer costs that substantially exceeded the corresponding wholesale premium. The central implication is that the burden of compliance was shaped by supply chain transmission as much as by upstream production costs, with the largest effects emerging at the consumer end of the market,” the researchers summarize in the report.

NPPC Advocates for Legislative Relief on Capitol Hill

This week, 105 pork producers from 23 states met with federal lawmakers to advocate for their livelihoods. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is pushing for the inclusion of language in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (often referred to as Farm Bill 2.0) to prevent individual states from dictating farming practices beyond their borders.

“We need relief from a patchwork of state animal housing laws, which will surely be the nail in the coffin for a number of farms across the country,” says NPPC President Rob Brenneman , a producer from Washington, Iowa. “The mission is clear: We need Congress to exercise their authority and fix Prop 12.”

Veterinary Concerns and Economic Uncertainty

The impact of Prop 12 extends beyond the grocery aisle. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has expressed frustration, stating that these regulations “do not objectively improve animal welfare and may unintentionally cause harm.”

As the industry faces ongoing uncertainty, the NPPC remains committed to ensuring producers can operate without the burden of conflicting out-of-state regulations.

Sow Longevity: New Study Confirms Critical Management Triggers for Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 20:48:20 GMT

Sow mortality continues to frustrate U.S. pig farmers. One of those key causes of sow mortality is pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Previous studies on purebred sows show that there is no silver bullet to prevent POP, but susceptibility can be reduced by genetic selection because it has a substantial heritability. A new study shows the same correlation exists among the crossbred (F1) commercial sows, but that’s not the only factor contributing to prolapse incidence.

A recent study led by Tricia Haefner, a master’s degree student at Iowa State University, evaluated genetic and non-genetic factors associated with susceptibility to vaginal/uterine POP in crossbred sows. She wanted to validate the non-genetic factors tested in the Iowa State University POP project led by Jason Ross , including the association of body condition score and perineal score measured during late gestation with POP in crossbred sows.

Data were collected on 3,983 crossbred sows during late gestation on two commercial farms in the Midwest during the summer of 2023. The data include:

Body condition score (1-5)
Caliper units (5-24)
Perineal Score (PS, 0=low risk; 1=moderate/high risk)
POP – defined as vaginal or uterine prolapse (0/1)

All sows were housed in group pens 35 days after breeding, except for a subset of sows at one farm, which were placed in groups immediately after weaning and managed according to California Proposition 12 regulations and moved into farrowing within 5 days prior to her due date.

The “Thin Sow” Problem

Using body condition score and the sow caliper tool, this study confirmed a “glaringly obvious” linear relationship between body condition score during late gestation and POP.

“Sows that are too thin during late gestation are at a substantially higher risk of prolapse,” says Jenelle Dunkelberger, a geneticist at Topigs Norsvin USA.

She says that’s an important message for the industry to hear right now.

“Late gestation is just a snapshot in time, but we should consider what her body condition at this time point might imply about her development prior to that point,” Dunkelberger says. “For instance, we need to be aware of, and perhaps even implement changes, regarding how she’s managed prior to late gestation to ensure that she is in the appropriate body condition going into farrowing, to maximize her success for longevity.”

Within parity groups, the data showed higher parity animals are also at a higher risk than gilts or Parity 1 sows.

Perineal Scoring as an Indicator

Researchers used a 1–3 scale developed by Iowa State University’s Jason Ross and former graduate student Zoe Kiefer to score the perineal region for swelling and redness. They found a high genetic correlation between perineal score and actual POP, indicating that these are, genetically, the same trait. More specifically, genetic predisposition for an unfavorable perineal score is strongly correlated with genetic predisposition for POP. Because perineal issues occur at a higher frequency (33%) than actual prolapse (2.4%), it can be considered a higher-resolution “indicator trait” for early identification of susceptibility to POP.

“POP is a binary trait – you either have a prolapse or not,” Dunkelberger explains. “Unless you have a high incidence rate, statistically, it’s tricky to analyze these types of traits. That’s why a trait like perineal score, which appears to have a higher incidence rate, may be an attractive indicator trait for POP.”

For this study, they did not see a large incidence of 3 scores, so they grouped together scores 2 and 3 and called them a moderate to high risk.

“We want to use this perineal score to try to develop an indicator of prolapse because you don’t get to see the incidence of it until it actually occurs,” Haefner says. “This helps identify it a little sooner so we can develop mitigation strategies.”

Prop 12 and Group Housing Stress

A significant finding showed that sows in Prop 12-compliant systems (weaned directly into groups) had a higher risk of POP and high perineal scores compared to sows kept in stalls for the first 35 days post-breeding.

“That was a little bit of a shock, but also we know that there’s a lot of stressors occurring around that time frame,” Haefner says, noting that there was limited data for this subset of animals. “It’s a critical time point of breeding and just getting off of lactation, wanting sows to recover their body condition. Even though those sows in that group were at this higher risk, we actually saw higher average body condition scores and caliper scores for them at late gestation.”

The sows were recovering, but Haefner says more research is needed to determine what’s different during that 35-day period as compared their non-Prop 12-compliant sows. She suspects hierarchy, including competition for feed, to be a key factor.

Still More Genetic Work to Do

After compiling this data, Haefner performed a genetic analysis on the tissue samples she collected.

“We were looking at perineal score and actual prolapse incidence,” Haefner says. “We were able to find moderate heritability for both of those traits, validating the heritability of POP in a commercial, crossbred population.”

Haefner says there’s still more that genetics can contribute to reducing the incidence of POP and improving perineal score.

“Perineal score and prolapse together being highly correlated means that we can utilize perineal score to also help mitigate against prolapse and select for perineal score alongside prolapse as well. Or, potentially, use perineal score in place of POP, to select for reduced incidence of POP,” she adds.

In other words, the same genes that control susceptibility to an undesirable perineal score are the same set of genes that control POP.

A Multi-factorial Approach is Needed

“Genetics can be part of the solution, and should be part of the solution,” Dunkelberger says. “But moderate heritability indicates that the majority of phenotypic variation in that trait is actually influenced by non-genetic factors. Therefore, you need to address both the genetic and non-genetic factors influencing POP to make a substantial reduction in the incidence rate of POP.”

Topigs Norsvin USA has been performing direct selection against susceptibility to POP since 2021. Dunkelberger says that should continue to reduce the genetic susceptibility to that trait, but effort should also be invested into looking at these non-genetic solutions as a way of complementing that approach.

“The lowest hanging fruit is body condition,” Dunkelberger says. “There are different ways to go about managing body condition and different things that can influence it. Having awareness of the relationship between body condition during late gestation and susceptibility to POP is important. I really believe that proper management of body condition will pay for itself in terms of sow retention.”

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.

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.”

From the Outside In: Why This Farm Bill is Different

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:57:40 GMT

U.S. farmers and ranchers are currently operating under 2018 policies, and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) says those 2018 policies are no match for 2026 challenges.

“There’s no better example than California’s Proposition 12 and the issue it is causing for the swine industry,” Thompson told pork producers at the Illinois Swine Mixer on Feb. 17. “Like the farm bill we passed out of committee in 2024, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 includes a fix to Prop 12. At the end of day, it’s not common sense to allow a small percentage of California voters to dictate how someone in Illinois or anywhere else in the country raises their animals.”

He says the House Agriculture Committee has been busy preparing the farm bill by “using what God has given us – that’s two ears and one mouth – with the dedication to listening at least twice as much as what we speak.”

They have traveled to 43 different states and one territory, holding more than 150 listening sessions.

“We’ve done this from the perspective of legislating from the outside in,” Thompson says. “Agriculture is anything but typical. We work on your behalf. That’s why we came out on farms and ranches, and we sat down and talked to people to find out, maybe not what you wanted, but what you needed.”

We Need a Farm Bill Now

As the House Agriculture Committee prepares to meet on Feb. 23 to review the 803-page document, Thompson says he’s hopeful they can get this passed through the House by Easter, April 5.

“I think the odds are pretty darn good, and the need is even greater when you look at the financial stresses on the American farmer and rancher today,” he says. “We have to get this done.”

Thompson says he wants farmers and ranchers to know that they recognize how bad things are right now. But most importantly, he wants them to know they care.

“Those are not just empty words,” Thompson says. “We’ve been working really hard, actually for a couple years, to prepare what will be one of the most effective farm bills. With 20% of it already approved with a $66 billion investment, we’re really putting our actions to where our words are. There are more good things to happen with what we’re going to mark up next week. We know how bad things are, we recognize that, but we’re working to do something about that.”

Prop 12 Is Causing More Problems

Despite these challenging times in agriculture, Thompson is proud of how many U.S. pork producers have adapted to capture the Prop 12 market, but he said some are finding they don’t have quite the market now because people are eating less pork in California, a state known for its pork consumption.

Food affordability is just one of the reasons why he has worked so hard to find a fix for Prop 12 in the farm bill.

“In California today, I’m told there are grocery stores that now sell bacon by the slice and not the slab because people can’t afford it,” he explains. “Consumption of pork products has dropped because affordability has been reduced significantly. The cost has gone up. People who are struggling financially probably aren’t eating pork products at all, and those middle class are making decisions and maybe choosing other proteins they’re able to get more for their money.”

Most importantly, Prop 12 is a slippery slope. One state should not impose agricultural practices on other states, he says.

“Constitutionally, it’s just wrong,” Thompson says. “The Supreme Court said this is something Congress should do, and so we’re doing it. If you allow this to stand, the question is, what will come next in terms of overriding agriculture or animal science with political science?”

Beyond the Farm Bill: Labor and USMCA

While the farm bill continues to be Thompson’s main focus right now, he is also focused on agricultural labor and the renegotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement. One of the most common requests he gets from farmers is about reforming the agricultural labor system.

“I organized an ag labor working group in the last Congress to have the hard conversations about what was working and what wasn’t,” he says. “We needed certainty. We needed reliability. Without workforce, we have food insecurity. With food insecurity, we have national insecurity. The implications of that are significant.”

The bipartisan group of eight Republicans and eight Democrats developed “practical solutions that work on both sides of the aisle.” In the end, the final report included 15 solutions recommended unanimously by the working group and informed by producers and processors who testified before the committee.

He says they are putting the finishing touches on the discussion draft, which looks very similar to the recommendations that came out of this working group. The three topics addressed regarding the H-2A visa program are expanding access to include year-round for the livestock industry, controlling costs and streamlining the overall process.

“The goal is to put out a discussion draft after we’re done with the victory celebration of at least passing the farm bill out of the House Committee,” he says. “I don’t want to let it hang out there long because it is critically important. We need to get moving, but we will probably give at least three weeks of opportunity for input in a discussion draft. We’ll take those comments back, make some final tweaks if needed or if indicated, and then we’ll get the bill introduced.”

On the trade front, he says USMCA has been a great benefit to American agriculture, resulting in over $60 billion in exports to Canada and Mexico since it was signed into law. For the pork industry alone, these exports represent a 66% increase in value since enactment, he adds.

“I know the agreement’s not perfect, and there are various things I’d like to see addressed during this negotiation,” Thompson says. “But more importantly, I’d like to know from you as we go forward what you would like to see in this renegotiation.”

Don’t Be Quiet Now

Farmer and rancher input is always of great value to legislators, but especially now.

“Your voice matters and you have a role to play in getting a new farm bill across the line,” Thompson says. “Find time in your busy schedules to stand up and speak out. Send emails, make phone calls, reach out to your congressional delegation. We’ve got a lot on our hands in 2026 in the ag committee, but I want you to know we are on your side and will keep fighting for you every day in Congress.”

Triumph Foods Files Claims Against Prop 12

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:33:51 GMT

Triumph Foods has filed a lawsuit against Proposition 12 , a California law that bans the sale of pork from animals not raised under California’s arbitrary welfare standard.

According to Triumph Foods, this lawsuit includes claims never pursued by any plaintiff and expands the challenge against Prop 12 by the U.S. Department of Justice, which filed claims against Prop 12’s egg provisions. 

“Congress has already acted and regulates pork production in our country,” Matt England, president and CEO of Triumph Foods said in a release. “A national food supply chain depends on consistent regulation from the federal government, free from a patchwork of interfering state requirements.”

The lawsuit filed by Triumph Foods builds upon the company’s approach against Massachusetts’ Question 3 (Q3), where Triumph was successful in obtaining an order from the district court striking down part of that state law for violations of the dormant Commerce Clause. The same unconstitutional provision exists in Prop 12, the company said in a release on Sept. 24.

“The claims filed against Prop 12 include that the federal government already regulates Triumph Foods – and similar USDA-inspected facilities – and that states cannot add to and interfere with those regulated spaces when preempted by the authority of Congress,” the company said in a release.

In National Meat Ass’n. v. Harris, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that Congress has already enacted legislation in this space, and that state laws that usurp the federal government’s role and disrupt our nation’s food supply are unconstitutional, Triumph Foods said.

Triumph Foods is a farmer-owned company that began operations in St. Joseph, Mo., in January 2006. With its state-of-the-art facility, Triumph employs over 2,400 workers and produces over 1.5 billion pounds of pork annually.

Read more about Prop 12 here.

Size Doesn't Matter: State Patchwork of Sow Housing Laws Hurts All Farmers

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:13:32 GMT

Nobody wins with a patchwork of differing and ever-changing state sow housing laws spurred by California Proposition 12. It doesn’t matter if you are a large-scale farmer or a small-scale farmer, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says everyone stands to lose.

“The issue goes well beyond animal welfare and safety — farmers’ top priority — and rather to the root of the Constitution’s interstate commerce regulations and how bending them can break a farmer,” NPPC said in a release.

Ohio pig farmer and National Pork Producers Council vice president Pat Hord spoke on the need for patchwork prevention in testimony before the House Agriculture Committee in July. Hord has chosen to retrofit barns to be Prop 12-compliant.

“Pork producers throughout the country have already collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars converting existing structures or building new barns to continue selling pork in California,” Hord testified.

But he says his compliance with Prop 12 does not protect him 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,” he said. “These are expensive changes, and some farmers may exit the business amid this uncertainty, which increases consolidation.”

The Practical Effect of Prop 12
NPPC recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the National Economic Council in response to a request from the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy on the adverse effects of extraterritoriality, which is the legal concept that a state’s laws can apply to people or actions outside its borders.

“Extraterritoriality was specifically addressed by our country’s founders in the U.S. Constitution: A state law that has the practical effect of regulating wholly out-of-state commerce is invalid, regardless of whether it also regulates in-state commerce,” NPPC explained. “California imposed housing restrictions on its few pig farmers well before it passed Prop 12, meaning Prop 12 wholly regulates out-of-state pork production.”

For perspective, NPPC explains 99.9% of America’s sows are raised outside California, despite the state’s large appetite for the power protein.

“In other words, the practical effect of Prop 12 is that commercial pork activity outside of California must comply with that state’s regulations, making the initiative an extraterritorial regulation of the $27 billion interstate pork market — and driving up costs for farmers and prices for consumers,” NPPC said.

A Costly Precedent
Prop 12 has set a costly precedent for other states to pass similar but conflicting laws, imposing substantial burdens on the nation’s pig farmers in their wake, NPPC said. Farmers must either continue to comply with the various state laws or lose business in critical markets.

That’s why NPPC president Duane Stateler, a fellow pig farmer from Ohio, complied with the Ohio standard for pork housing. He understands what having to then comply with another state, and potentially others, means.

“What if you built a brand-new house — one you and your family had saved for, waited for and are proud and excited about — and you followed all the regulations to ensure it was built to code,” Stateler explains. “Then, six months later, a state outside your own says your electrical work is unacceptable and you need to fix it for your family to be able to stay in your home. And then, 10 months later, another state comes back and says you need to redo your driveway to adhere to their egress laws — and your HVAC is not, in their eyes, energy efficient enough? This is what pig farmers face every time a state passes an arbitrary law and we have to rebuild our barns or lose business into those states.”

NPPC urges U.S. decisionmakers to remember that real pig farmers across the country and all farms — small, large, Prop 12-compliant or not — lose when conflicting state regulations keep them jumping through regulatory hoops without cause.

“The Supreme Court was clear that the ball is in Congress’ court, and we need their help in keeping these farms in business and pork prices reasonable for consumers,” NPPC said.

Prop 12, Trade and MAHA Top Pork Producer Conversations in DC

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:18:06 GMT

Although this wasn’t Lori Stevermer’s first Legislative Action Conference (LAC) in Washington, D.C., she says it was certainly a memorable one. Pork producers from 21 states gathered to call on Congress to deliver an urgent legislative fix to California’s Proposition 12 in Farm Bill 2.0, to open up trade access and to discuss the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report.

“I always leave our legislative action conferences energized,” says Stevermer, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) immediate past president and a Minnesota pig farmer. “It’s great to see all the producers fly in from all the states. They’re eager and excited to go talk to their legislators.”

She says this was one of the largest conferences she remembers with 24 first-timers in attendance. The feedback was positive overall. She credits this to the state of the pork industry with many producers seeing some profitability now.

Farm Bill 2.0 was a key point of emphasis in conversations between producers and legislative staff.

“We had a variety of responses,” Stevermer notes. “The Republicans are generally optimistic that a Farm Bill 2.0 will happen. Chairman Thompson is still very much advocating for it. From our Democratic members of Congress, the response was more varied. Some are cautiously optimistic something could happen yet this fall and some are less optimistic.”

With pork exports down slightly this year, she says retaliatory tariffs were also a big topic of conversation.

“Some countries are up, but exports to some of our long-time trading partners like Japan and South Korea are down,” Stevermer says. “That’s concerning. We are always asking for market access and new market access.”

MAHA on the Mind
Other topics including U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) being up for renewal in 2026 and labor shortages with a request for labor reform legislation that provides year-round access to the H2-A visas were also discussed. Stevermer says producers also engaged in many conversations about MAHA throughout the fly-in.

“As pork producers, the definition of ultra processed foods is on our mind,” she says. “If bacon and sausages are classified as ultra-processed foods, that could hurt that breakfast food market.”

Of course, she loves the fact that protein is having a moment. It’s a nuanced topic, she admits. When it comes to wholesome, nutrient-dense proteins, pork and beef win.

“We’ll lean into that,” Stevermer says. “But if you read through that report a little bit further, there’s some discussion on moving from a risk-based science that we here do in the U.S. to more of a hazard-based science. When we started explaining these concerns, the legislators and staff did sit up and take notice.”

Bacon-Lined Walls and Food Trucks
NPPC also hosted its popular Baconfest reception, which brought together congressional leaders, staff and industry stakeholders to celebrate America’s pork producers and showcase the vital role pork plays on dinner plates across America.

With close to 1,000 people attending the event held at the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Stevermer says it was an awesome showcase of bacon and pork.

“It’s always great to see what the chefs come up with,” she says. “But the best part was hearing staffers say, ‘I hear a lot about Baconfest. I want to be there.’ I think the event generates a lot of positivity and awareness for pork. Plus, it gives us another chance to talk to those members of Congress or their staff.”

NPPC also rolled out a food truck on Capitol Hill, serving breakfast to lawmakers, staff and media. Branded with the message “Breakfast is Essential. So is Fixing Prop 12,” the truck spotlighted how a patchwork of state laws, spurred by Prop 12, threatens affordable access to everyday staples like bacon, ham and sausage.

“America’s pork producers take pride in providing safe, nutritious, and affordable pork to families across the country,” NPPC president Duane Stateler, an Ohio pork producer says. “The patchwork of laws set in motion by California’s Proposition 12 threatens our mission by raising prices for consumers, reducing choices, and putting thousands of family farms at risk. Congress must act now to ensure a patchwork of regulations does not further threaten this industry we have worked so hard to build.”

Stop the Patchwork: Proposition 12 Threatens American Agriculture

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:18:51 GMT

As a pork producer and CEO of a fifth-generation family farming operation in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and surrounding states, I understand what it means to live with business uncertainty. Weather. Diseases. Labor shortages. Our industry faces significant hurdles each day as we work to bring safe, accessible food to American tables. However, what I don’t accept is added uncertainty and threats to my farm coming from expensive and arbitrary production standards brought on by California Proposition 12 and similar laws.

Left unchecked, a patchwork of conflicting, Prop 12-style regulations around the country would also lead to even more consolidation of the industry, as pork producers are forced to constantly reconstruct their operations—or, even worse, close their doors forever. Moreover, producers who can afford to comply experience losses in productivity, and at the same time, they bear the costs of increasing their square footage. And when activists are again successful at persuading a state to adopt anything different than Prop 12’s housing requirements, the wholesale revision of farm practices and contracts will start all over again.

The House Agriculture Committee recently convened a hearing on Prop 12, and I had the opportunity to testify about why a patchwork of Prop 12-style laws are an existential threat to our livelihood. As the vice president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and a farmer with Prop 12-compliant barns, I stressed to the committee that my operation, even with our ability to produce for California’s retail market, is at risk if other states make additional, conflicting demands on producers.

Two bills that would bring immediate certainty to the industry have been introduced in Congress. The “Food Security and Farm Protection Act”—introduced by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS)—and Rep. Ashley Hinson’s (R-IA) “Save our Bacon Act” both seek to prohibit state or local government interference with commerce and agricultural practices outside their jurisdiction. Passing either of these bills on their own, or incorporating them into a “Farm Bill 2.0,” would protect producers from a potential 50-state patchwork of conflicting laws.

Regardless of the legislative approach Congress selects, bipartisan support remains key to getting a Prop 12 fix across the finish line. It is notable that both the committee chairman and ranking member voiced concerns regarding the impact of Prop 12 during the hearing. Additionally, the continued efforts by President Trump’s team, following those initiated by the Biden administration, demonstrates a sustained commitment from the White House, regardless of party in power, to provide market stability for pork producers.

Congress has the authority to pass legislation to fix a patchwork of state laws like Prop 12. NPPC will continue to work with members on both sides of the aisle to find a solution that creates certainty for producers by preventing additional states from moving the goal posts.

Pat Hord is an Ohio pork producer and serves as vice president of the National Pork Producers Council.

No One’s Protected Until We Solve Prop 12, Grill Says

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:07:43 GMT

Proposition 12 isn’t a partisan issue, says Matt Grill, senior director of congressional relations for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). He believes that’s one of the most important things that came out of the House Agriculture Committee’s recent hearing to examine the implications of Proposition 12 .

“A full committee hearing on a single topic, even one as big and important as Prop 12, doesn’t happen every day,” Grill told AgriTalk’s Chip Flory. “NPPC is extremely grateful for Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson putting such a spotlight on the issue. What we know is that there are still a lot of issues in rural America that need to be addressed in a farm bill.”

Whether you are Prop 12 compliant or not compliant, Grill says there are complications to consider.

“From Chairman Thompson to Secretary Rollins and President Trump to President Biden and Secretary Vilsack to ranking member Angie Craig, any true representative of farm country knows that Proposition 12 is a problem for producers,” Grill says. “We understand that there’s this bipartisan attention, and we need to get to that bipartisan solution.”

One of the biggest issues coming up in “Farm Bill 2.0” is Prop 12.

“We’re glad that the committee is out here doing their due diligence, doing serious work on an issue that is so critical to agriculture,” Grill adds.

It is clear in the Constitution that Congress has the authority to regulate interstate commerce, he points out. The Supreme Court decided that Congress needed to act if something was going to be done about Prop 12.

“In the majority opinion, Justice Gorsuch said, and everyone agrees, that Congress has the authority to regulate the interstate commerce of pork, as they have done on many other subjects,” Grill says. “To say, ‘Well, the Supreme Court has dealt with this, therefore Proposition 12 is all good and upheld,’ is not the full truth of what the Supreme Court decided exactly.”

We Need a Farm Bill Now
The pork industry is still hoping for a legislative fix to Prop 12.

“NPPC was successful in working with Chairman Thompson to include and protect language that would have provided legislative certainty to producers (while letting California keep Prop 12 for their own producers),” Grill says. “NPPC has no problem with that. We worked hard with the chairman to protect that provision. Now, as we all know, the Farm Bill never made it through last Congress.”

Although some farm bill provisions have been handled in the One Big Beautiful Bill, Grill says NPPC is still waiting on Farm Bill 2.0.

“There are a lot of things from crop insurance and reference prices to animal health funding, that NPPC secured, and we’re very grateful for in the One Big Beautiful Bill,” he says. “But there’s a lot out there that doesn’t have to do with money, but has everything to do with rural America. We’re pushing for that Farm Bill 2.0. It’s important, hopefully we see some action in the fall. This is something that Chairman Thompson is not letting go.”

Common Sense Solution
“The bottom line is you can’t have a 50-state patchwork,” he says. “There is bipartisan agreement on that. That’s the No. 1 thing that NPPC needs to solve.”

NPPC believes Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is trying to strike the right tone in the Save Our Bacon Act that takes the provision from the last farm bill and makes that standalone legislation, he explains.

“This is a complicated subject,” Grill says. “We saw that on full display. The Congresswoman is trying to strike the right tone, just like the chairman. She protects states’ rights. She believes in states’ rights. But she also believes in common sense and making sure that an industry has the certainty it needs, so that everyone’s protected, consumers or producers.”

NPPC Vice President Pat Hord was one of the six who testified at the hearing. He has Prop 12 compliant pork production, but like those who are not compliant, he fears that his investment is not secure if other states can change the rules at any time.

“No one’s protected until we solve that issue,” Grill says. “If one state can dictate producers’ behavior outside of their state, it creates a real problem. You may like the premium you get, but the risk of uncertainty can be so great. And remember, that premium is not promised.”

No One is 'Winning' in a Prop 12 World: 6 Witnesses Testify Before House Ag Committee

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 18:18:04 GMT

U.S. pork producers and American consumers are facing significant cost increases due to Proposition 12. And the data keeps proving it. In a House Committee on Agriculture hearing, “An Examination of the Implications of Proposition 12,” Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) said Congress must provide a fix for Prop12.

“It begs the question – if producers are paying more, and consumers are paying more, who is winning?” Thompson said during the hearing on July 23. “Thankfully, the complexity and unfairness of Prop 12 has been realized by both sides of the aisle.”

Six witnesses testified before the full House Agriculture Committee on the implications of California’s Proposition 12 for farmers and food prices.

Overregulation Hurts Farmers
Pat Hord, an Ohio pork producer and vice president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), shared his family farm’s story with the Committee. He said, “Despite producing Prop 12-compliant pork, I am here to say Prop 12, and an unmitigated regulatory patchwork, threatens our farm.”

Prop 12, a California ballot initiative, bans the sale of pork that does not comply with the state’s prescriptive and arbitrary production standards. Though enacted in a single state, Prop 12 has created sweeping consequences nationwide by fueling market volatility, imposing costly new mandates on producers, and paving the way for a patchwork of inconsistent state regulations.

“Spending my entire life raising pigs in a variety of ways, I’m convinced it’s best to allow production methods and consumption demands to take shape in the open market, as opposed to arbitrarily shaping them through poorly worded and short-sighted ballot initiatives,” testified Matt Schuiteman, a farmer and Iowa Farm Bureau board member.

The data shows Prop 12 is creating economic hardship. As of the first quarter of 2025, 12% of small pork operations have exited the market or shifted production away from breeding, citing regulatory uncertainty and high transition costs.

“Prop 12 opens a Pandora’s box of state regulatory overreach that threatens family farms across the country,” NPPC shared in a statement. “This overregulation hurts farmers, increases prices for consumers, and compromises our nation’s food security.”

Unjustified Price Increases
But it wasn’t just pork producers voicing their concern at the hearing over the obstacles caused by Prop 12.

“Harm is what Prop 12 has caused, smashing like a wrecking ball the livelihoods of small restaurants and the communities we serve by disrupting supply chains and dragging up the cost of culturally vital foods like pork,” said Lily Rocha, executive director for the Latino Restaurant Association. “It’s brought economic devastation to families already stretched thin.”

Rocha said Prop 12 is a death sentence for small businesses operating on razor-thin margins.

NPPC economist Holly Cook testified that USDA research and recent scanner data confirm the impact on consumer costs.

“A study released in 2024 by economists at USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist compared retail pork prices and volumes in California and the rest of the U.S. for a period preceding Proposition 12 (October 2019-June 2023) and for 8 months after its partial implementation date (July 2023-February 2024),” Cook said. “After subtracting any price increases that were also observed in the rest of the U.S., the study attributed the following prices increases in California to the impact of Prop 12: 41% increase in pork loin prices, 17% increase in pork rib prices, 17% increase in pork shoulder prices, 16% in bacon prices, and 20% increase in fresh ham prices. Overall, the report suggests a 20% average increase in the sales prices for pork products covered by Proposition 12 and minimal impacts on products not covered by the law, such as sausage.”

Recent retail data also revealed a decline in pork volume sales in California and a 2% to 3% decline in California’s share of national fresh pork sales. Retail scanner data compiled by Circana confirms that these trends have held up over subsequent periods, Cook added.

“From July 2024 to June 2025, the second year of Proposition 12’s partial implementation, prices for popular covered pork products in California were 24% higher on average, with a range of 12% to 33% higher across covered products, than they were in the year leading up to implementation (July 2022 to June 2023),” Cook said. “This compares to an average 3.6% increase for the entire U.S. over the same period.”

In short, Californians are spending more but consuming less pork than they were before Prop 12.

A Contentious Issue
Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, professor and Extension specialist at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, noted the importance of recognizing that there are agricultural interests on all sides of the Prop 12 debate.

“Certainly, there are agricultural producers, groups and businesses in favor of congressional action to overturn Prop 12,” she said. “Similarly, there are agricultural producers, groups and businesses strongly against Congress taking such action, many of whom have already gone to the expense to comply after Prop 12 was passed and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) pointed out during her comments that Prop 12 is clearly a contentious issue, and merits thoughtful, bipartisan discussion.

“We cannot ignore the questions and challenges Prop 12 raises,” Craig said. “Even the Biden administration’s ag secretary said we need to treat this issue seriously to ensure stability in the marketplace. I agree that we cannot have 50 states with 50 different regulatory frameworks because of the significant challenges it would present to producers, but I believe that there are ways to avoid that situation.”

She also shared that many pork producers have made significant financial investments to make their operations Prop 12-compliant and that Congress needs to be mindful of the voters in California who exercised their rights under their state constitution to adopt this policy.

Thompson reminded the room that Justice Gorsuch noted several times in the majority opinion that Congress would be well within its power to act. Although Thompson doesn’t agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Prop 12, he agrees that Congress can and must act to rectify the burdens Prop 12 has imposed on interstate commerce.

Travis Cushman, deputy general counsel, litigation and public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said in his testimony, “When a single state can condition access to its market on compliance with production mandates that override the judgment of veterinarians, farmers and experts nationwide, Congress must act. This is not a theoretical concern. It is already harming farmers, confusing the courts and threatening the viability of a national food system.”

Cushman believes the language that the Committee passed in the 2024 Farm Bill restores clarity, restores congressional authority and interstate commerce, and protects both producers and consumers from a patchwork of conflicting amenities.

The Patchwork Problem
“When we talk about any premiums that do exist in the market today, the prospect of a patchwork threatens the certainty and the sufficiency of those premiums in the long run,” Cook said following the hearing. “NPPC is seeking to provide certainty to all producers about the environment in which we’re going to be making these decisions and investing in the future of the industry.”

Cook said it was a long day on Capitol Hill, but it was encouraging to hear producers share just how much they care about the animals they raise.

In fact, Hord spoke to misconceptions that Prop 12 enhances animal welfare, citing American Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Swine Veterinarians opposition to the law and how those pen requirements can “unintentionally cause harm” to animal welfare.

“There were some good discussions around producers caring for their animals and maximizing animal welfare, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because they have every economic incentive to do everything they can to maximize animal welfare,” Cook reflected.

She noted there were productive discussions on the impacts of Prop 12 from the farm level through the supply chain and all the way to the consumer.

“Producer voices are so strong,” Cook said. “Being able to deliver their stories to their representatives and members of Congress on the impact these issues are having on their farms is always the strongest message lawmakers can receive.”

Hinson Introduces Bill to Save Family Farms, Protect Pork Producers from Patchwork Regulations

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 20:01:45 GMT

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, has introduced the Save Our Bacon Act to help aid family farms across the country by providing certainty against a dangerous and chaotic web of conflicting farm regulations, including California Proposition 12.

California and Massachusetts have proposed arbitrary mandates on production practices for farmers in other states. Hinson says the Save Our Bacon Act would alleviate this overregulation by prohibiting state and local governments from interfering with the production of livestock in other states.

“The Save Our Bacon Act reaffirms livestock producers’ right to sell their products across state lines, without interference from arbitrary mandates,” Hinson says. “This legislation will stop out-of-touch activists — who don’t know the first thing about farming — from dictating how Iowa farmers do their job.”

(Rep. Ashley Hinson; public domain)

National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, has expressed producers’ support of the bill.

“We sincerely appreciate Representative Hinson for consistently engaging with family farmers and championing legislation that provides the certainty we need to pass along our farms to the next generation,” he says. “Without legislation to shield America’s 60,000-plus pork-producing family farms from heavy-handed, multi-state regulations, many producers otherwise would be faced with business-crushing decisions.”

Stateler notes that bipartisan support for “averting a web of contradictory state laws” is growing, with support from President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden and their respective agriculture secretaries, Brooke Rollins and Tom Vilsack.

If left unchecked, Prop 12, along with a wave of contradictory farm regulations, will soon sweep the nation. Stateler says these include:

Serious threats of industry consolidation, pushing multi-generation farm families — especially small and medium-sized farms — out of business.
Skyrocketing grocery bills, with some pork products experiencing price hikes of as much as 41%.
Far-reaching and harmful impacts on both farmers and consumers.
Unfair costs forced on farmers to pay for out-of-state regulators to audit their farms.
Significant increases in the cost of raising pigs — by as much as 15% on each pig marketed.
Potential harm to pigs, as arbitrary, unscientific laws hamstring farm veterinarians’ herd health plans.

“With Proposition 12, California has set out-of-touch, arbitrary requirements for how producers should operate their farming businesses,” says Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. “California activists now claim to know what’s best for the producers who have raised livestock from generation to generation. The Save Our Bacon Act will allow Iowa’s farmers to continue doing what they do best - feeding our country and the world.”

Iowa pig farmer and Iowa Pork Producers Association President Aaron Juergens says he appreciates Hinson’s leadership in fighting to protect Iowa pig farmers, who work hard to care for their animals and produce safe, high-quality pork.

“The Supreme Court made it clear the best option is for Congress to address California’s Prop 12 to prevent a patchwork of conflicting state regulations,” Juergens says. “Since Prop 12 took effect, the law has negatively impacted both consumers and producers. We urge Congress to act this year and support Representative Hinson’s efforts to stop this burdensome mandate.”

Prop 12 'Clucked Up' Egg Prices: New Ad Slams Law Ahead of Congressional Hearing

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:41:17 GMT

The Center for the Environment and Welfare (CEW) has unveiled a new ad “slamming” California’s Proposition 12. The ad appeared in the Wednesday print edition of The Hill to coincide with the House Committee on Agriculture hearing: “An Examination of the Implications of Prop 12.”

CEW says Prop 12 is driving up food prices across the country. Its ad — which reads, “Californians Say They ‘Clucked Up’” — highlights CEW polling that found Californians regret passing Prop 12 . CEW research says 60% of state voters want “a legislative fix to the food ban” to bring down prices.

“If a new vote were to be held today, the food regulation would fail to gain enough support to become law, drawing only 35% support,” according to CEW’s poll results.

This congressional hearing followed the Trump administration’s suit against the state of California , filed earlier in July, to nullify two of the state’s overreaching farm mandates, including Prop 12.

“There is bipartisan concern about the effects of Prop 12. In fact, it is one of the few things the Trump White House and former Biden administration agree on,” Will Coggin, research director of CEW, said in a news release. “Congress must include a Prop 12 fix in the Farm Bill to protect consumers and prevent future measures that scramble our protein supply chain.”

CEW launched a public education campaign, “ Food Price Fix ,” in May urging Congress to stop the far-reaching consequences of Prop 12. The campaign has included numerous ads, including a national TV commercial, and continues to lead a letter-writing initiative asking voters to contact their lawmakers and urge them to pass a federal fix to Prop 12.

Though CEW applauded the Trump administration’s suit against California, says it reminded Congress that it should pass legislation to deliver immediate relief for Americans facing high food costs who can’t afford to wait years for litigation to wind through the courts.

California Has 'Gone Rogue,' Consumers Pay the Price Under Proposition 12, Rollins Says

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 14:25:52 GMT

President Donald Trump’s administration sued California on July 9 over its regulation of eggs and chicken farms, saying these California laws impose burdensome red tape on the production of eggs and egg products nationally in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

“California has gone rogue and caused real harm to consumers under its cage-free egg commitments,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said in a statement frollowing the announcement of the Trump Administration’s lawsuit. “By not allowing consumer choice, Californian’s are forced to buy more expensive eggs. California’s actions under Proposition 12 fly in the face of Federal jurisdiction and regulation over food production and safety under the Egg Products Inspection Act.”

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and other state officials. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, argues that the federal Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970 pre-empts state laws related to eggs. The federal law authorizes the USDA and Health and Human Services to regulate eggs in order to protect consumers’ health and welfare, and it also requires “national uniformity” in egg safety standards, the lawsuit says.

“It is one thing if California passes laws that affects its own State, it is another when those laws affect other States in violation of the U.S. Constitution,” Secretary Rollins said. “Thankfully, President Trump is standing up against this overreach.”

Secretary Rollins has worked diligently to support American poultry and egg producers, combat avian flu, and lower the cost of eggs for consumers, USDA pointed out in a statement. In February, she announced a five-point plan to combat the avian flu and lower egg prices which has been applauded by agriculture and government leaders across the country. Since the five-point plan was announced, the price of eggs has decreased 63%.

“It is great to see the Trump administration taking decisive action to protect the country from California’s overreaching policies, but Americans facing high food costs cannot afford to wait for years of court appeals. Congress could—and should—pass legislation tomorrow to get us there sooner,” Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare (CEW) said in a release. “Recent polling shows California voters now regret the passage of Proposition 12, and there is strong bipartisan support for a legislative fix to nullify California’s inflationary farm mandates.”

(YouTube)

In May, CEW launched a public education campaign urging Congress to stop the far-reaching consequences of Prop 12. According to Consumer Price Index data, national egg prices have spiked 103% since Prop 12 went into effect in 2022. Meanwhile, in California, the cost of eggs has tripled and pork prices have increased by between 20 and 40%.

Pork Producers Need to Be at Table During Policy Discussions

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 19:44:25 GMT

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report is a current discussion point for the pork industry, and Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), sees both positives and negatives.

On the positive side, the pork industry has been championing the value of protein as a nutrient dense component of a diet for years.

“I’m glad to see [the value of protein] in the conversation on a national and federal level and being driven home,” he says.

On the negative side, the attack on science as it relates to crop protection tools, which are necessary for the corn and soybeans fed to pigs, is alarming.

“To question those thought processes based in science, based in data and information, and to really raise those questions isn’t just a concern for us, it’s a concern for all of agriculture,” Humphreys says. “We need to be at the table for those conversations. Not just the pork industry, but all of agriculture needs to be at the table for these conversations.”

The industry has been good partners in the past for setting policy.

“Let us never forget that it is farmers who bring food and we’ve always been a part of every solution for every opportunity and challenge that has ever faced the American food supply, and this should be no different,” Humphreys adds.

Another policy topic for NPPC continues to be Proposition 12.

“The focus needs to be about how we get Congress to address this challenge of states regulating outside their border,” he adds.

Humphreys notes Iowa Pork has a case that’s been relisted a few times and he is hopeful the issue is addressed soon.

“Whether it’s Congress doing what they’re asked to do by the Supreme Court and fixing it, or the Supreme Court [addressing it again], we will take whatever we can get as agriculture, not just the pork industry, for somebody to fix this catastrophic issue,” Humphreys says.

Even during tough times, the mood in the pork industry is positive and cautiously optimistic, he adds.

“Every year I’m fascinated by the advancements in the U.S. pork industry,” he says. “And for those outside of agriculture who don’t get to see these things every day, it’s one of the most technologically advanced industries out there.”

Listen to the whole conversation:

Your next read: What’s Missing in the Big Beautiful Bill When It Comes to Agriculture?

Big 3 Advocacy Asks in the Pork Industry

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 22:48:12 GMT

With all the administration and policy changes that have happened in the past, there’s no question the U.S. pork industry has been busy advocating for producers in a period of great uncertainty. Duane Stateler, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president, joined Bryan Humphreys, NPPC CEO, Kylee Deniz, Oklahoma Pork Council state executive, and Maria Zieba, NPPC vice president of government affairs, to kick off the World Pork Expo on June 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Uncertainty is common for farmers. Most of our producers raise pigs and livestock and grow crops,” Stateler says. “You’re used to that uncertainty with the crops – whether it’s going to rain, whether it is going to be dry. The same thing happens on the pork side. But you like it when the markets are calm and easy because that’s one less thing you have to worry about.”

Here’s a breakdown of the key priorities these leaders are focused on now as they try to create more certainty for U.S. pork producers.

1. Trade. “Trade is vitally important for our industry,” Zieba says. “Our top priority remains and will continue to be market access into Vietnam. We see this as a huge opportunity for our U.S. pork exports. Not only because there’s 100 million people in Vietnam whose No. 1 protein consumption is pork, but also as we look at diversifying away from certain markets, Vietnam has an opportunity that is very unique.”

Vietnamese consumers value muscle cuts, but they also eat a lot of offals, she says. The U.S. needs to diversify its customer base for offals because more than 50% are currently destined for China.

“Whenever we have a trade disruption that’s certainly an impact on domestic producers,” Zieba says. “The U.S. pork industry is in a very unique position. We had a huge win earlier this year with China where they approved over 300 of our pork processing plants and our cold storage facilities for pork. We continue to have that access to export product to China. The same cannot be said for some of the other proteins. We’re very thankful for all the hard work and efforts that were made by the administration to make U.S. pork market access a priority into China.”

2. Farm bill. When it comes to getting a farm bill passed, Stateler says they have to take what they can get.

“There’s a lot of things that are going to be missing in the Reconciliation Bill that rural America needs,” he points out. “We need to get a farm bill passed after whatever comes with this reconciliation bill.”

3. Proposition 12. One of the pork industry’s big asks is surrounding Prop 12.

“The industry cannot take a Prop 13 or a Prop 14 coming from someplace else that makes a patchwork of regulations, not only for us as producers, but also for the people who buy our product and who process it and get it out.”

Deniz echoed Stateler’s comments and says the certainty that comes with a farm bill is very important for pig farmers today.

“Whether we’re talking about the three-legged stool of animal health, trade or a Proposition 12 fix, it’s just needed,” Deniz says. “A farm bill matters to us in Oklahoma. It matters to every state where pigs are raised. It matters to everyone in this room.”

Humpheys says there are many other aspects of the farm bill that will still need to be addressed.

“Our ask, and quite honestly our demand, of folks that represent agriculture in D.C. is that we need a farm bill. As part of that farm bill, American agriculture, specifically the pork industry, needs the certainty that comes with a fix to Proposition 12 and a prevention of the patchwork of regulations,” he says. “While that doesn’t fit under one big, beautiful bill, it does still need to be done. That’s going to require a farm bill or some other approach. While we’re partial to the farm bill in agriculture, we’ll take anything.”

Your Next Read: Why Cutting Corners Doesn’t Work in the Pork Industry

U.S. Supreme Court Relists Proposition 12 Case

Fri, 23 May 2025 21:22:25 GMT

The U.S. Supreme Court is again considering a challenge to California’s Proposition 12, the state law that bans the sale of pork from animals not raised under California’s arbitrary welfare standards. In the latest petition, Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) v. Bonta, the petition claims that Proposition 12 violates the dormant commerce clause by discriminating against out-of-state pork producers, who they say had less “lead time” to comply than California farmers subject to an earlier law, Proposition 2.

The case was relisted or marked “Distributed for Conference” on May 15 and again on May 22. When a case is relisted, the justices do not grant or deny review, but instead will reconsider the case at their next conference, according to an article on SCOTUS Blog .

Discrimination Claims
SCOTUS Blog says it is almost impossible to know exactly what is happening when a particular case is relisted, but there are a few possibilities from one justice trying to pick up a fourth vote to grant review to one or more justices wanting to look more closely at the case. It could also be because a justice is writing an opinion about the court’s decision to deny review or the court could be writing an opinion to summarily reverse (that is, rule in favor of the petitioning party without briefing or oral argument on the merits).

This case filed by IPPA claims discrimination because California producers could get ready for Prop 12 longer than producers in other states like Iowa.

In the reply filed by IPPA on April 25, footnote 3 details an additional discrimination that under the Prop 12 certification process, farms have to be audited. California producers get free audits from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) while producers in other states must pay a third-party auditor.

The footnote reads: “CDFA offers auditing services to obtain the mandated certification for California farmers, while forcing out-of-state farmers to retain and pay private certifiers. Notably, CDFA only offers the audit and certification services to in-state farmers and CDFA is the only approved governmental entity who is allowed to provide certification services.”

Read the CDFA guidance for pork producers here.

What Happens Now?
“If the Supreme Court does rehear it, we’ve got a history here saying where the Farm Bureau and the National Pork Producers Council lost their prior Supreme Court challenge,” Jim Wiesemeyer pointed out to AgriTalk host Chip Flory on May 23. “Remember, Justice Kavanaugh offered some suggestions. So maybe if the Supreme Court does rehear it, they’ll listen this time to Kavanaugh’s effective roadmap to how to be successful on this.”

However, it’s a waiting game to find out if SCOTUS will hear the case or not.

“We should know that pretty soon,” Wiesemeyer says. “I hope it does happen, because I think the ag industry did not adequately prepare their case the first time. Now, they’ve got an effective roadmap to use. I just hope the new challenge is accepted.”

Your Next Read: Pork Producers Aren’t Giving Up on a Prop 12 Fix

Pork Producers Aren't Giving Up on a Prop 12 Fix

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:37:50 GMT

Pork producers are grateful that many industry priorities were included in the recently released reconciliation package from the House Agriculture Committee, but they aren’t giving up on securing a fix to Proposition 12.

“America’s pork producers recognize and greatly appreciate the tireless efforts by congressional champions of farming and agriculture, especially Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, in securing as many pork industry priorities as possible in the House’s proposed reconciliation package,” says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

But Stateler says it’s just as critical – if not more – that the committee keeps its promise to take action on a solution to the many problems triggered by California Proposition 12.

“We expect that members of both parties will continue to find the path to deliver the certainty and stability farmers need,” Stateler says. “Whether in the Farm Bill, or in other legislative provisions, we stand ready and willing to help the Congress deliver this needed, bipartisan solution.”

NPPC urges members of Congress to advance the provisions included in the reconciliation package that will ensure pork producers can continue to provide a safe, reliable and affordable supply of products from farms to so many people.

Those provisions include:

Preservation of necessary resources to protect the nation’s food supply through foreign animal disease (FAD) prevention, including:
>National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank
>National Animal Health Laboratory Network

>National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program
>National Veterinary Stockpile
Increase in market access programs for U.S. pork.
>The Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) build export markets for U.S. agricultural products through generic marketing and promotion and the reduction of foreign import constraints. For every $1 spent on MAP and FMD programs, U.S. agriculture saw $24.50 in export gains and contributed to the creation of 225,800 full-and part-time jobs across the U.S. economy.
Resources for the feral swine eradication to protect the health of U.S. swine herds.
>Established in the 2018 Farm Bill, the hugely successful Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program helps address the threat feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems, and human and animal health, especially through FADs like African swine fever.

Your Next Read: Certainty in Uncertain Times: How Maria Zieba Fights for U.S. Pork Producers in DC

New Food Security and Farm Protection Act Protects Farmers and Consumers From Government Overreach

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:24:08 GMT

After the U.S. Supreme Court left an open invitation for Congress to strike down California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) says it’s time to end this “unjustified and burdensome regulatory overreach” in order to protect family farms and bring down prices for U.S. consumers.

On April 8, Ernst and fellow Senate Agriculture Committee members Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced The Food Security and Farm Protection Act that prohibits any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction.

“Proposition 12 is dangerous and arbitrary overregulation that stands in direct opposition to the livelihoods of Iowa pork producers, increases costs for both farmers and consumers, and jeopardizes our nation’s food security,” Ernst says. “I’m proud to be leading the charge to strike down this harmful measure and will keep fighting to make sure the voices of the farmers and experts who know best – not liberal California activists – are heard.”

Pig Farmers Speak Out
This policy averts a disastrous patchwork of contradictory state-by-state farm regulations that would hit hardest small and medium-sized pork producers, says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

“U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they can pass along their farm to the next generation,” Stateler says. “We urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately to provide us much-needed relief.” Learn more about Stateler’s story here.

Without certainty from the Food Security and Farm Protection Act , NPPC says there will be many consequences, including:

Widespread, damaging consequences for farmers and consumers alike.
Significant fees forced on producers to pay for outside regulators to audit their farms due to the whims of consumers outside their state’s borders.
Risk of putting farm families out of business by significantly increasing the cost of raising pigs.
Increased prices at the grocery store , as much as 41% for certain pork products.

A Dangerous Patchwork of Regulations
For reasons like these and more, bipartisan support for providing relief from a patchwork of state laws continues to grow with support from President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and their respective Agriculture Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Tom Vilsack, NPPC said in a release.

“The United States is constantly faced with non-tariff trade barriers from protectionist countries, which hurts American agriculture’s access to new markets. The last thing we need is for states like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states,” Marshall says. “Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away.”

And it’s not just the pork industry rallying around this legislation.

“Iowa soybean farmers are grateful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to address challenges Prop 12 creates for Iowa farmers,” says Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer, Brent Swart. “Not only do the increased costs of compliance threaten to put pork farmers out of business, Prop 12 increases the price of pork at the grocery store by as much as 40%. Higher prices for pork dampen demand for this high-quality protein which negatively impacts market demand for soybeans used for pig feed. This legislation gives us a chance to protect our farms, our livelihoods, and ultimately, families that need affordable food.”

Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President, Rob Medberry, points out that the Iowa Cattle industry has made it clear that government overreach and overregulation is incredibly burdensome to industries that provide safe, quality and sustainable products for the world.

“Proposition 12 has the potential to further dismantle the livestock industry with the lack of science-based measures. Proposition 12 has already proven to be an unfunded mandate with consumers unwilling to pay premiums for the products that must be compliant with the proposition,” Medberry says. “The inherent cost to become compliant is overbearing and the simple fact of dollars and cents does not add up.”

Opponents Strike Back
Opposition such as the Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund, argue against this legislation.

“This bill would hand over sweeping power to a narrow segment of the agriculture industry, overriding the will of voters, dismantling state laws and eliminating hard-won voter-supported protections for the humane treatment of farm animals, food safety and farm workers,” says Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund. “Let’s be clear: this is a federal overreach that serves Big Pork, not the American people.”

Amundson claims this legislation has been driven by a small group of pork industry lobbyists.

It’s Not Just About Pigs
But Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Stu Swanson disagrees.

“With barriers like Proposition 12 cutting off our ability to supply fellow Americans with Iowa grown pork, it’s not only those families who are being affected, but also our farm families here in Iowa,” Swanson points out.

Iowa Turkey Federation Executive Director Gretta Irwin adds that these inconsistencies create unnecessary burdens for farmers operating across state lines, hinder efficient production, and undermine well-established, science-based practices developed in coordination with industry experts.

Swanson says this is an issue for all of agriculture and one his organization plans to continue to work on with their livestock partners until it gets resolved.

“Consistent with its authorities under the Commerce Clause, it’s time for Congress to solve this problem by passing legislation,” Grassley says. “Our bill will end California’s war on breakfast and make sure delicious Iowa pork can be sold everywhere.”

Stay up to date on Prop 12 here.

Pork Producer Urges House Agriculture Committee to Reinstitute Prop 12 Fix in Farm Bill

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:21:27 GMT

On March 4, Minnesota pork producer Lori Stevermer, testified on the “ State of the Livestock Industry ” before the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. Stevermer serves as the president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

Stevermer emphasized the need for a federal solution for the problems caused by California Proposition 12 , as one of the priorities for pork producers.

“California Proposition 12 reaches far beyond California to include farmers in other states – and even other countries,” said Stevermer. “The outcomes of Prop. 12 defy common sense – and create a patchwork of differing state regulations, if Congress doesn’t act.”

She said pork producers were grateful for how House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson addressed Proposition 12 through Sec. 12007 of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 and encouraged the Committee to reinstitute this language in the 2025 Farm Bill.

In her testimony, Stevermer shared a sampling of the multitudes of problems Prop. 12 includes:

Widespread, damaging consequences for farmers and consumers alike.
Inconsistent stipulations – deeming cooked bacon legal and uncooked bacon illegal, despite both products coming from the same pig.
Forcing producers thousands of miles away from California to pay for outside regulators to audit their farms.
Threatening to put farm families out of business by significantly increasing the cost of raising pigs.
Increasing prices at the grocery store, as much as 41% for certain pork products.

In May 2024, the U.S. House Agriculture Committee passed their bipartisan 2024 Farm Bill, which included 100% of pork producers’ priorities. NPPC is calling for the reintroduction and passage of the same farm bill as quickly as possible.

Stevermer also addressed and emphasized the importance of trade to U.S. agriculture and pork production, which allows for the free flow of goods and expands export markets through trade agreements.

Trade policies that allow businesses to trade fairly and with certainty “are critical to the continued success of America’s pork producers, U.S. agriculture, and the overall American economy,” Stevermer said in comments, adding that “the United States needs more comprehensive trade agreements that eliminate or significantly reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports.”

Click here to read Stevermer’s full testimony.

Proposition 12 Puts All American Agriculture at Risk, Stevermer Says

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:29:00 GMT

Lori Stevermer, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president, brought the industry’s point of view to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee on Feb. 26 through her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing testimony.

A pork producer from Easton, Minn., Stevermer highlighted the top pork industry issue – California Proposition 12, a state regulation posing an existential threat to all of U.S. agriculture.

“We must fix the problems caused by Prop 12, which has increased farmers’ operating costs, created business uncertainty, and raised pork prices at the grocery store,” Stevermer said. “We stand with farmers and consumers across the country, grateful to have the support of both President Trump and former President Biden in clearly and decisively opposing Prop 12.”

Prop 12 prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat not produced under the law’s arbitrary and costly housing dimensions. These regulations were created without input from pork producers, veterinarians, or experts in animal welfare, NPPC said in a release.

“The regulation is inconsistent. Under Prop 12, a package of uncooked bacon is illegal to be sold in California if it comes from a pig raised on any farm across the nation that does not follow California’s arbitrary, unscientific regulations,” NPPC shared. “However, if that same bacon from that same pig on that same farm is first cooked and packaged prior to sale (i.e. microwave bacon), the bacon is legal in California.”

During her testimony, Stevermer emphasized the success and resiliency of the U.S. pork industry, which in 2023 marketed more than 149 million hogs valued at over $27 billion while supporting more than 573,000 U.S. jobs.

“We are grateful House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson addressed Proposition 12 through Sec. 12007 of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 and for Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ commitment to working with this committee on the issue,” she shared in her testimony. “The Supreme Court was clear: Congress must act to address this issue for agriculture. We cannot continue to have states set arbitrary production standards on production in other states and look forward to assisting in your efforts to address this issue.”

Prop 12 requires outside auditors certify farms, which is costly and burdensome to pork producers. NPPC said it threatens to put pork producing families out of business by significantly increasing the cost of raising pigs.

She also discussed other pork industry priorities, including the prevention of the growing threat of foreign animal diseases, ongoing market access and trade issues, and employment challenges, including the need for year-round H-2A visas.

Click here to read Stevermer’s full testimony.

Protecting the Future Starts with Building Relationships

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

During my year as president of the National Pork Producers Council, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to ten states and multiple countries. And I’ve learned that pork producers around the world are more similar than we are different. We’re all focused on raising healthy pork – economically and efficiently. We’re all trying to be good stewards of limited resources, whether that’s land, water, or feed. And we all face misconceptions and pressures from the public — whether they are consumers, activists or legislators.

To combat those misconceptions, we must build relationships. You can’t simply meet a legislator once and then expect them to take your side on labor policy, Proposition 12 or line speeds. They need to know you, to trust in your expertise and your passion for the industry. Then, when you show up again and explain how the rules and regulations affect you, it’s powerful.

Building relationships can happen at the local level by participating in livestock boards and other industry-related organizations. At the state level, Minnesota’s annual Farmfest has become a destination for politicians and government officials to engage with agribusiness members from across the state. At the federal level, NPPC’s Legislative Action Conference offers access to our nation’s representatives. These are just a handful of examples.

But this kind of grassroots work lays the foundation for bigger advocacy wins and opportunities ahead. For example, while we anticipate finalization of the Farm Bill, NPPC continues to elevate the industry’s request for funding for animal health programs and foreign market development and highlighting the need for a federal solution for Prop 12.

Other wins also set our industry on the right path for the future: defeating the Denver slaughterhouse ban, the Ninth Circuit ruling on CAFOs, maintaining line speed trials, and passing traceability standards within our industry. These key wins are all the result of consistently showing up, working together, and building relationships.

I’ve had the opportunity to interact with the next generation of leaders in the pork industry. They are smart, future-focused, and ready to adapt to innovation. That makes me optimistic. I encourage them to get engaged – and stay engaged – in whatever way they can. They have different experiences, and we’re going to need those as new challenges come our way.

The world is run by those who show up. Because when we show up, we get a seat at the table. We get to tell our own story. I know it’s hard and sometimes inconvenient. We’re busy. We have work to do on our farms. But, as I step down from the president’s role at NPPC, I will still be involved. Our industry needs all of us — making calls, visiting D.C., engaging in our states and communities, building relationships and telling our story. That’s how we protect the future of the pork industry.

And if you hit a wall? Find a way over, around or under it but just keep showing up.

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5 Minutes with NPPC Leaders on Prop 12 and the Farm Bill

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:22:09 GMT

Why is it so important to get a farm bill passed? National Pork Producers Council vice president for domestic policy Chase Adams says the answer is simple: Prop 12.

“The farm bill is the natural place for our fix for California Proposition 12,” Adams said during a political strategy panel at the Ohio Pork Congress. “On the positive side, the Republican Congress knows that rural America elected them, that they owe it to rural America to get the farm bill done. It is a topic of discussion all the way from the Speaker’s office down to the Ag Committee.”

Adams says the pork industry is well positioned because it knows where Chairman Glenn Thompson and Chairman John Boozman were on California Prop 12, foreign animal disease (FAD) funding and all the big issues the industry cares about in the last Congress.

Rollins Recognizes Challenges of Prop 12
NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys says he is extremely hopeful about what USDA Secretary of Agriculture Nominee Brooke Rollins will do for U.S. agriculture and Prop 12 after hearing her comments during her testimony, specifically around the need for a farm bill.

“Her emphasis on working with and helping to protect American agriculture are all things that bring comfort to our industry,” Humphreys says. “She said something to the effect that agriculture is the lifeblood of America. That’s important.”

From a Prop 12 standpoint, Humphreys says Rollins’ comments were spot on.

“A couple of things I want to point out from what she said are 1) recognition of the damage that Proposition 12 has done for creating a patchwork of regulations. What Prop 12 has done to the logistics of our industry is incredibly challenging. I appreciate her recognition of that. 2) She mentioned she’s a Federalist. I think her recognition of the dangers of Prop 12 as a Federalist is exactly what the Supreme Court was getting at when it ruled that this is a problem, but Congress needs to fix it,” Humphreys says.

Prop 12 is a state’s rights issue that Congress needs to find a solution for because of the problems that it has created, he adds.

“The state of California should not be able to tell producers in Ohio how to raise their pigs,” Humphreys says.

Obstacles for the Farm Bill
The discouraging part for Adams is that there’s talk about taking care of farm bill provisions through vehicles outside of passing a full farm bill.

“My concern is that if we strip out key provisions of the farm bill, we don’t have anything to make it bipartisan,” Adams says. “This process has to be bipartisan to get a farm bill done.”

In short, Adams believes the farm bill has some factors going for it and some factors going against it right now.

“That’s why it’s so critically important that the pork industry demands that we get this farm bill done,” Adams says. “If we’re not asking for it, no one else will.”

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California Doesn't Get to Tell Iowa How to Raise Hogs in Iowa, Attorney Bird Says

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:58:47 GMT

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led 23 states in a brief supporting Iowa pork producers against California’s strict-hog-housing regulations — Proposition 12, the Office of the Attorney General reported in an article on Jan. 29. As the nation’s top pork-consuming state, California has major influence over the whole market.

“Proposition 12 sets harsh regulations that will spike pork prices, dictate to other states how they should raise their hogs, and force some pork producers to close up shop if they cannot afford to keep up with the strict new mandate,” the article said.

Iowa is the No.1 state for producing and exporting pork. Approximately 147,000 Iowans work to raise and deliver quality pork throughout the state, contributing billions of dollars to the economy each year.

“We are fighting to stop California’s illegal attack on Iowa pork producers,” Bird said. “California’s radical pork ban, Proposition 12, raises pork prices and threatens to drive family farms out of business with extreme costs. Iowa is the top pork producing state in the country. California doesn’t get to tell Iowa farmers how to raise hogs in Iowa.”

Iowa has led the charge nationally in defending pork producers. Attorney General Bird fought in October 2023 and September 2024 to oppose the Massachusetts pork ban known as “ Question 3 .”

The States are urging the federal appeals court to hear the case defending pork producers, the article said. Key points include:

Proposition 12 risks creating an interstate trade war—in violation of the Constitution.
Parts of the Constitution that Prop 12 violates include
- the Dormant Commerce Clause, which gives the federal government the power to regulate interstate commerce
- the Import-Export Clause, which prevents states from imposing import regulations on products from other states
- the Full Faith and Credit Clause, which requires states to respect the laws passed in other states

“California has fired the first shots in what could be an interstate trade war,” the brief states. “Rather than respect her sister States’ regulatory approach to raising pork in their own States, California seeks to substitute its own inexpert judgment for what regulations are best.”

Iowa led the brief and was joined by Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

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