Overturning California’s Proposition 12 has been a top-of-mind issue for the National Pork Producers Council for some time. However, getting a finished Farm Bill approved is right there at the top of the list. Lori Stevermer, past president of the National Pork Producers Council, said it was a big topic of discussion during her year in the office.

“We have talked about the farm bill a number of times, and it’s been the one issue that’s been across my whole time on the board. We’re still hopeful that there’s going to be a skinny Farm Bill yet. Chairman Thompson has been very supportive of the pork industry. He wants a skinny Farm Bill. And you know, just as a reminder, that’s where our federal solution for Prop 12 is in that, so we’re hoping there’s some type of preemption, because really, once again, our farmers are concerned about that patchwork of regulations. So, if there is no farm bill, if nothing happens, then that’s the concern that each state will create its own type of production standard or production regulations, and then our farmers are stuck working with that patchwork.”

NPPC sent several producers into the halls of Congress to keep pushing for a farm bill.

“Once again, we’re talking with the congressional staff and just highlighting the importance of the Farm Bill relative to California’s Prop 12. And so, while some aspects of a traditional farm bill were a part of the Big, Beautiful Bill — we had some funding for Animal Health Programs — once again, some type of federal solution for Prop 12 was what we’re hoping for in the skinny Farm Bill.”