House Agriculture Committee Passes Bipartisan Farm Bill 2.0 With Prop. 12 Fix

What happened: The House Agriculture Committee approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (commonly referred to as the Farm Bill 2.0), which includes a fix for the problems caused by California’s Proposition 12, which has spurred a looming, unsustainable 50-state patchwork of animal housing laws.

NPPC has long led the fight for relief from Prop. 12, most recently with a dozen national farm, agriculture, and transportation groups calling on Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) to include a fix to the California initiative, which the coalition says, has “caused significant detrimental impacts and uncertainty on our members’ farms and ranches.” Click here to read a letter sent to House Agriculture Committee leadership.

The coalition said the Prop. 12 provision was needed “to prevent an unsustainable patchwork of 50 conflicting state laws that would burden producers, snarl interstate commerce, and increase food affordability.”

Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-PA) would like the legislation considered by the entire House before Congress takes a spring recess, set for March 30-April 10.

NPPC’s take: NPPC strongly supports the new Farm Bill, which fixes Proposition 12, funds programs important to U.S. agriculture, and provides a safety net for producers who face severe weather, natural disasters, or significant market disruptions. Additional NPPC wins included in the bill are detailed here.

“Now, it is up to the full House of Representatives to finish the job: pass this farm bill and give agricultural producers across the country true freedom to farm,” said Duane Stateler, NPPC president and pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

Why it matters: The five-year Farm Bill sets farm, conservation, forestry, and nutrition policy and authorizes various agricultural programs, including ones related to foreign animal disease preparation and prevention and export promotion. A new Farm Bill hasn’t been approved since 2018. That one expired September 30, 2023, and was temporarily extended several times.

Administration to Continue Aggressive ‘America First’ Trade Policy, Chief Ag Negotiator Thanks Producers

What happened: The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will continue the Trump administration’s “America First” trade policy – begun during the president’s first term – according to its recently released 2026 Trade Policy Agenda and 2025 Annual Report. The approach is reflected in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest trade forecast, which projects a 42% decline in the fiscal 2026 agricultural trade deficit.

USTR’s 2026 trade agenda calls for the United States to:

• Continue negotiating new agreements on reciprocal trade.
• Enforce existing agreements and U.S. trade laws.
• Secure supply chains for critical minerals and other sectors.
• Conduct the mandatory review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
• Manage trade with China for reciprocity and balance.
• Promote U.S. interests at the World Trade Organization and other international bodies.

With a robust trade agenda, USDA forecasted in February that the U.S. agricultural trade deficit for fiscal 2026 would decline to $29 billion from $50 billion in fiscal 2025. (The country had run a surplus from 1959 until 2020.) The agency is projecting $174 billion in farm exports and $203 billion in imports.

USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Julie Callahan provided detailed trade updates to pork producers at the industry’s annual business meeting – the National Pork Industry Forum – held March 4-6 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Callahan also addressed the mutually beneficial relationship with NPPC, saying, “NPPC is one of the stakeholder groups that we are continually reaching out to as we move forward bilaterally or regionally.”

“NPPC calls us when there’s an issue and concern with a trading partner. We also call [NPPC] when there are specific issues that may affect pork access, and we need to know at a granular level what will be helpful and what is needed to address this issue.”

Click here to watch Callahan’s remarks.

NPPC’s take: NPPC will continue monitoring the Trump administration’s trade policy proposals and urge it to pursue comprehensive trade deals that expand market access for and remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. pork exports.

NPPC appreciates Ambassador Callahan’s efforts on behalf of U.S. pork. NPPC will remain actively engaged with USTR to help maintain and expand U.S. pork’s market access globally.

NPPC Installs New Officers, Elects Members to Board of Directors

What happened: NPPC installed new officers and board members to lead the organization through the 2026-2027 term at the National Pork Industry Forum.

The 2026-2027 NPPC board officers are [Read full bios here.]:

• President Rob Brenneman, Washington, Iowa
• President-Elect Pat Hord, Bucyrus, Ohio
• Vice President Todd Marotz, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
• Immediate Past President Duane Stateler, McComb, Ohio

Newly elected board members serving up to two consecutive three-year terms were:

• Robert “R.O.” Britt, Williamsburg, Virginia
• Jay Miller, Carlyle, Illinois
• Joe Popplewell, Perry, Oklahoma

Elected as the Alliance Industry Council representative was Mark Hayden of Moville, Iowa.

The new and re-elected members of the board joined current members:

• John Anderson, Belgrade, Minnesota
• Trish Cook, Winthrop, Iowa
• Craig Edsill, Ambler, Pennsylvania (Packer Processor Industry Council representative)
• Jackie Bowman Ponder, Greenwood, Indiana
• Ed Reed, Three Rivers, Michigan
• Jeb Stevens, Osgood, Indiana
• Neill Westerbeek, Clinton, North Carolina

Re-elected to NPPC’s nominating committee was Jason Propst of Toledo, Illinois. He was joined by Daniel Tubb of Oakman, Alabama, who was elected for a two-year term.

Why it matters: The NPPC board of directors is a critical part of NPPC’s success, collaborating closely with the existing leadership team to steer NPPC toward achieving its strategic goals and enhancing membership value.

Maschhoffs, Carney Inducted into NPPC Hall of Fame

What happened: Sam Carney and Ken and Julie Maschhoff were inducted into the NPPC Hall of Fame during the National Pork Industry Forum. The prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have devoted their lives to advancing the pork industry.

Carney, whose home and hog operation, Carney Farms Inc., are in Adair, Iowa, built his reputation not from a podium but from the gravel roads and farm gates where the real work of agriculture takes place. His authenticity and first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing pork producers made him an effective leader for the industry.

During his five years on the NPPC board of directors, Carney helped advance several pork industry initiatives, including the Strategic Investment Program, Legislative Education Action Development Resource, and We Care, the industry’s animal well-being, environment, food safety initiative. His service reflects his commitment to the future of agriculture, especially the next generation of pork producers.

For more than three decades, the Maschhoffs have led one of the largest and most influential pork production companies in the United States, with operations now in multiple states, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of people.

As president and chairman of the board of The Maschhoffs, Ken was instrumental in forming strategic partnerships and adopting new technologies that positioned the company as a leader in vertically integrated pork production. Julie guided the company’s early financial health and structural stability and took on human resources and public relations as the business grew.

Carney, who served as NPPC president from March 2010 to March 2011, and the Maschhoffs – Ken was NPPC president from March 2017 to March 2018 – have been strong, tireless advocates for the pork industry, giving of their time, talent, and treasures for the betterment of America’s pork producers.

Why it matters: NPPC Hall of Fame inductees are recognized for devoting their lives to positively shaping the pork industry. They focus on critical aspects of pork production and related issues while playing a significant role in advancing NPPC’s mission to advocate for the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of U.S. pork producers and their partners.

Former Virginia Pork Council Executive Director Honored

What happened: John Parker, who served as executive director of the Virginia Pork Council for more than 40 years, was honored with the prestigious Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award during the National Pork Industry Forum. The award, jointly developed by NPPC and the National Pork Board, recognizes exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment by state executives in the pork industry.

Parker was a key participant in shaping producer-funded promotion and research programs, including the forming of the National Pork Board and restructuring of NPPC. His efforts to improve communications and coordination between state and national organizations helped lay the groundwork for a more unified industry. He was instrumental in launching the first State Pork Leadership Conference, which continues to help cultivate new leaders in pork-producing states across the country.

In addition to his industry accomplishments, Parker earned a reputation for generosity of spirit, mentoring new executives, offering thoughtful counsel, and helping young people entering the field through his involvement with 4-H and FFA youth livestock programs.

Why it matters: The annual Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award recognizes individuals’ dedication to strengthening their state’s pork industry and positive contributions to NPPC and the Pork Board. Named after notable past state executives Don Paulson of Minnesota and Rex Whitmore of Wisconsin, the award underscores the vital role state organizations play in the success of the U.S. pork industry.

NPPC Awards Annual Pork Industry College Scholarships

What happened: NPPC announced 15 scholarship winners at the National Pork Industry Forum. The Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship, the Neil Dierks Scholarship, and the inaugural U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) Swine Legacy Scholarship were awarded to college students pursuing careers in the U.S. pork industry. Click here to learn more about each scholarship.

Winners of the 2026 Lois Britt scholarships were:

• Trell Amoss — Oklahoma State University
• Elizabeth Anderson — Iowa State University
• Avah Burke — Pennsylvania State University
• Jenna DeRouchey — Iowa State University
• Halle Evans — Iowa State University
• Georgia Horosky — Wilmington College
• Drew Mickey — Kansas State University
• Abigail Morse — South Dakota State University
• Kylee Reed — Iowa State University
• Joshua Wiley — Iowa State University

The $2,500 scholarships, sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation (NPIF), are for undergraduates in a two-year swine program or a four-year college of agriculture program. The scholarship program was introduced in 1990 and renamed in 2006 in honor of Lois Britt, a former NPPC board director, who spent 34 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and finished her career after 15 years working for Murphy-Brown LLC (now part of Smithfield Foods).

The 2026 winner of the Neil Dierks Scholarship was:

• Emma Zwart — Iowa State University

The Dierks scholarship program, started in 2021 and sponsored by NPIF, awards $5,000 to a current or applied-for-acceptance college graduate student in a swine program. Dierks served as NPPC’s CEO for 20 years, retiring in December 2021 after 31 years with the organization.

Students receiving a USPCE Swine Legacy Scholarship were:

• Rebecca Brown — The Ohio State University
• Jenna DeRouchey — Iowa State University
• Kory Storm — South Dakota State University
• Trell Amoss — Oklahoma State University

Also sponsored by NPIF, the USPCE scholarship program awards $5,000 scholarships to two undergraduate and two graduate or professional track students, with consideration given to individuals pursuing studies in research, education, veterinary science, or related fields that support the swine industry.

More information: Scholarship applications for 2027 will open later this year. To learn more about the application process, click here.