This Week at NPPC: Trade Moves, Prop 12 Push, and Industry Highlights

Nov 17, 2025

In this week’s NPPC update:

U.S. and China move toward resolving long-standing trade tensions.
Pork producers press lawmakers to fix California’s Prop 12.
Agriculture groups urge caution on changes to USMCA.
Mindy Brashears advances toward USDA Under Secretary confirmation.
NPPC’s Dr. Jeremy Pittman honored in the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame.
Applications open for new pork industry scholarships.

U.S. & China Move Toward Trade Resolution

After months of advocacy from agriculture groups, the Trump administration and China have agreed to lower tariffs and resume talks toward a broader trade deal.
China suspended tariffs of up to 15% on some U.S. agricultural imports, including pork.

“In a win for U.S. agriculture, China has suspended its retaliatory tariffs,” said NPPC President Duane Stateler.

China ranked No. 3 for U.S. pork value in 2024, totaling $1.1 billion in exports.

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Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!