National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Lori Stevermer testified before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry during the State of the Livestock Industry hearing, emphasizing the urgent need for a federal solution to the challenges posed by California’s Proposition 12. California voters passed Proposition 12 on November 6, 2018. It established new minimum space requirements for certain farm animals and banned the sale of products from animals not raised in compliance with these standards.
“This regulation extends far beyond California’s borders, affecting farmers in other states and even other countries,” Stevermer stated. “If Congress fails to act, Prop 12 will create a confusing patchwork of state regulations that defy common sense and disrupt agricultural production nationwide.”
Stevermer also expressed appreciation for House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson’s efforts to address Prop 12 in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act. She highlighted the importance of reinstating the provision in this year’s Farm Bill, noting that the bipartisan legislation passed by the House Agriculture Committee last year included 100 percent of pork producers’ priorities. The NPPC is now pushing for its reintroduction and swift passage.