NPPC President Lori Stevermer highlighted Proposition 12, the top pork industry issue in her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing testimonyFrom an article in PORK by Jennifer Shike

Lori Stevermer, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president, brought the industry’s point of view to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee on Feb. 26 through her “Perspectives from the Field” hearing testimony.

A pork producer from Easton, Minn., 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,” Stevermer said. “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.”

Prop 12 prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat not produced under the law’s arbitrary and costly housing dimensions. These regulations were created without input from pork producers, veterinarians, or experts in animal welfare, NPPC said in a release.

“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,” NPPC shared. “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.”

During her testimony, 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.

“We are grateful House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson addressed Proposition 12 through Sec. 12007 of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 and for Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ commitment to working with this committee on the issue,” she shared in her testimony. “The Supreme Court was clear: Congress must act to address this issue for agriculture. We cannot continue to have states set arbitrary production standards on production in other states and look forward to assisting in your efforts to address this issue.”

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

She also discussed other pork industry priorities, including 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.