The National Pork Producers Council President Lori Stevermer, a pork producer from Easton, Minn., recently brought the industry’s point of view to the US Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee through her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing testimony.

Stevermer highlighted the top pork industry issue – California Proposition 12, a state regulation that NPPC finds poses an existential threat to all of US 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,” said Stevermer. “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.”

Developed without input from pork producers, veterinarians or experts in animal welfare, Prop. 12 prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat not produced under the law’s housing dimensions.

NPPC finds 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 regulations. 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.

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

Other pork industry priorities discussed include 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.

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

Source: National Pork Producers Council