Pig Farmers from 24 States Press Lawmakers for Prop. 12 Solution in Final Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 17, 2026 – Nearly 150 pork producers from California to New York joined forces in Washington to advocate for their farms and livelihoods as the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry passed the Agricultural Act of 2026 out of Committee.
“Our message to Congress is clear: Stop the patchwork nightmare that California Proposition 12 has created for pork producers across the country. Our family farms cannot afford the uncertainty these conflicting state laws is creating,” said National Pork Producers Council President Rob Brenneman, a pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “We’re not backing down from this fight for rural America. I’m proud of my fellow pork producers for taking precious time away from their farms to travel to Washington, D.C., and meet face to face with their elected officials. They are advocating for reasonable legislation that allows us to continue farming and pass down our farms to the next generation.”
During NPPC’s biannual Legislative Action Conference, pork producers from across the country were briefed by a bipartisan group of legislators, including U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA), and Agriculture Committee member Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH). NPPC officers also visited with U.S. Department of Agriculture officials responsible for administering federal programs on which producers depend.
Spreading out across Capitol Hill, pork producers took their message to approximately 175 congressional offices, advocating on behalf of their fellow American 60,000+ producers. Among their asks were including a fix to California Proposition 12 in the final farm bill, funding the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan, supporting the “Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act” for year-round labor support, and urging the Trump administration to quickly complete the review to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
NPPC also presented Sen. Ernst and Chairman Thompson with the inaugural “Bringing Home the Bacon” congressional award. Click here to read about Sen. Ernst’s contributions to the pork industry and here to read about Chairman Thompson’s leadership advancing the livelihoods of pork producers.
To top off the conference, NPPC hosted its annual Baconfest congressional reception where more than 1,100 guests, including members of Congress and their staff, embassy officials, and industry stakeholders, gathered to discuss pork industry priorities and enjoy a variety of delicious pork-centric snacks—including the famous bacon wall.
North Carolina pork producers meet with Rep. Don Davis (D-NC).
Pork producers from across the country gather in Washington for NPPC’s Legislative Action Conference.
Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) speaks on food affordability to pork producers.
Congressional staff and pork producers attend NPPC’s annual Baconfest reception.
