The Farm Bill
Pork producers need Congress to address the problems triggered by California Prop. 12, protect our pigs by funding programs to prevent animal disease, and expand key programs that expand foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products.
California Prop. 12
A 2018 California ballot initiative, Prop. 12, prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat not produced according to the state’s arbitrary housing dimensions. The initiative places the cost and compliance burden on pork producers, who are nearly all located outside of California, and puts the industry at risk of significant consolidation. The Supreme Court of the United States has said this is an issue for Congress to solve, and NPPC urges lawmakers to include a federal solution to Proposition 12 in any farm bill.
U.S. Ag Secretary Vilsack on Prop. 12:
“At some point in time, somebody’s got to provide some degree of consistency and clarity. Otherwise, you’re just inviting 50 different states to do 50 different iterations of [Prop. 12]. Farmers don’t need the chaos; they need clarity and certainty.”
Protecting Our Pigs = Protecting the Food Supply
Pork producers face increasing threats from foreign animal diseases (FADs). An outbreak would cripple the entire agricultural sector and result in the immediate loss of thousands of jobs.
U.S. farmers would rely on federal and state animal health officials to coordinate the response, which allows for continuity of business and resumption of trade.
Animal Health Priorities
NPPC asks Congress to support the renewal and expansion of key programs that protect agriculture and consumers: the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, the National Veterinary Stockpile, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.
NPPC supports the Beagle Brigade Act, as the agriculture canine teams of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection perform critically important inspections at the nation’s ports of entry to prevent FADs from entering the United States.
Expanding Market Access
Exports create significant value opportunities for the U.S. pork industry.
In 2023, the U.S. exported over $8.16 billion in pork and pork products to over 100 countries.
Export value equates to $64 in value from each hog that was marketed in 2023, up 4% from 2022. Opening new and expanding existing markets is vital to the continued success of the U.S. pork industry.
MAP & FMD
Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) are designed to build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products through generic marketing and promotion and the reduction of foreign import constraints.
For every $1 spent on MAP and FMD programs, U.S. agriculture saw $24.50 in export gains and contributed to the creation of 225,800 full-and part-time jobs across the U.S. economy. NPPC is advocating for increased funding for these programs in the Farm Bill.