Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Fixing Prop 12 to Protect Pork Farms

Fixing Prop 12 to Protect Pork Farms
Jul 24, 2025
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Farm leaders urge Congress to fight costly Prop 12 effects

Pat Hord, an Ohio pork producer and vice president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), and NPPC economist Holly Cook recently testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee about the harmful effects of California’s Proposition 12. They urged lawmakers to support Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s efforts to address this growing concern for American farmers. 

Proposition 12 bans the sale of pork in California unless it meets strict state-specific production rules. Though it affects only one state, it has caused national problems, including market instability, higher food costs, and a growing patchwork of inconsistent state regulations. 

“A patchwork of conflicting, Proposition 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 close their doors,” said Hord. 

Cook presented data showing how pork prices in California have increased significantly since Prop 12 took effect, with prices rising 20% on average, bacon up 16%, and pork loins up 41%. At the same time, pork sales volumes have dropped, meaning people are paying more but eating less pork. 

Critics argue that Prop 12 does not improve food safety or animal welfare. In fact, leading veterinary groups oppose the law, warning it could harm animal health by limiting flexible care options. 

The regulations could force small farms out of business, increase costs to raise pigs by 15%, and lead to more industry consolidation. 

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

National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, spoke to pork 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. Without legislation to shield America’s 60,000+ pork-producing family farms from heavy-handed, multi-state regulations, many producers otherwise would be faced with business-crushing decisions.” 

Bipartisan support for fixing Prop 12 continues to grow. If left unchecked, this law could cause: 

  • Farm consolidation and closures 

  • Soaring grocery prices 

  • Consumer and farmer harm 

  • Costly regulatory burdens 

  • Health risks to pigs due to poor oversight 

Photo Credit: istock-srdjan-stepic


Trending Video

Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.