Pork Producers Press for Prop 12 Fix in Farm Bill at D.C. Fly-In

Pat Hord with the National Pork Producers Council joined us to recap producer meetings in Washington and discuss key policy priorities including Prop 12 and agricultural labor.

cherry blossoms cherry trees washington dc_adobe stock.png

Jefferson Memorial in the spring.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Pork producers are returning home after meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where discussions focused on Proposition 12, agricultural labor, and broader policy priorities affecting the livestock sector.

Pat Hord with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to recap the fly-in and the issues raised during meetings with federal lawmakers and regulators, sharing his key takeaways from the trip and reflecting on the overall energy of the producer fly-in.

In his interview with RFD NEWS, Hord emphasized that pork producers made a strong case for including a fix to Proposition 12 in the next Farm Bill, underscoring concerns about its impact on domestic production and interstate commerce.

Hord emphasized the importance of direct engagement with lawmakers and regulators, noting the positive feedback NPPC received during the week’s meetings with ag policymakers.

He went on to address ongoing labor challenges facing the pork industry and other agricultural sectors, highlighting the need for reliable access to year-round workers to support production demands.

Finally, Hord spoke about his fifth-generation family farm in Ohio and how current policy decisions directly impact day-to-day operations.

Related Stories
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.
Arizona producers are proving that desert farming and water conservation can coexist through technology, reuse, and efficiency — reinforcing both food security and environmental stewardship.
Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), shares his reaction to news of soybean sales to China, which is considered both “welcome news” and a return to near-normal trade relations.
Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum discusses key outcomes from the U.S.-China trade agreement and the benefits of expanding trade across Southeast Asia.
“It does not extinguish right away here — in any sort of sense — the real profitability concerns and people’s ability to pay bills and get to the other side of this in the very short term. This is where the skepticism builds.”

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

A new proposal from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could transform how farmers use drones, allowing commercial operators to fly beyond their visual line of sight.
“USDA can no longer keep wasting its time and personnel to deploy Commissioner Miller’s infamous traps, which USDA has deployed, tested, and has proven ineffective.”
Even in this strong market, some beef producers are leaving money on the table by not following proven marketing practices.
New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
Treat storage as risk management and logistics, and budget to break even since export growth is unlikely to absorb bigger U.S. corn and soybean crops.