The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Lori Stevermer, a pork producer from Easton, Minn., brought the industry’s point of view to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee today through her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing testimony.
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,” 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 arbitrary and costly housing dimensions.
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. 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 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 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.
Click here to read Stevermer’s full testimony.
