Pork farmers urge Congress to act on Prop 12 challenges
Pork producers from several leading states, including Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, recently met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., urging them to take action against California’s Proposition 12. The controversial law bans the sale of pork in California from hogs born to sows raised in housing that fails to meet the state’s strict standards.
Implemented on January 1, 2024, Prop. 12 has already raised pork prices nationwide, creating additional pressure on working families and low-income households. Farmers argue that the law not only harms consumers but also sets a troubling precedent that could lead to a confusing mix of state-level agricultural regulations.
Industry experts warn that Prop. 12 could violate international trade agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which prohibits states from establishing non-tariff barriers to trade.
To counteract these effects, producers are rallying behind legislative proposals like the “Save Our Bacon Act” (H.R. 4673) and the “Food Security and Farm Protection Act” (S. 1326), which seek to prevent states from enacting similar laws and to restore fair market access.
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has been leading the fight against Prop. 12 for more than six years, including presenting its case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The group continues to collaborate with Congress to find practical solutions to the growing problem of conflicting state laws that disrupt livestock production.
As other states consider following California’s example, producers warn that such actions could create a fragmented system of farming regulations, making nationwide pork production more difficult and expensive.
NPPC leaders emphasized saying that the issue affects every American family that values affordable food, calling for unity in protecting fair agricultural trade and food security.
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