Pork Producers Reignite Push for ‘Skinny’ Farm Bill, Federal Fix for Prop-12

While the 2018 Farm Bill received an extension under the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act, the National Pork Producers Council wants lawmakers to do more to support the sector.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) —Pork producers are renewing the push for an updated Farm Bill in the next few months. While the 2018 legislation got another extension from the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) want lawmakers to do more to support the agriculture industry.

NPPC’s former President Lori Stevermer told RFD-TV News a new Farm Bill would address several issues in the pork sector, including California’s Prop 12, a problem for producers with impacts far beyond the state’s borders.

“We have talked about the Farm Bill a number of times, and it’s been the one issue that’s been across my whole time on the board,” Stevermer said. “We’re still hopeful that there’s going to be a skinny farm bill yet. [House Ag Committee] Chairman [Glen “GT”] Thompson has been very supportive of the pork industry. He wants a ‘skinny’ Farm Bill. And you know, just as a reminder, that’s where our federal solution for Prop 12 is in that -- so we’re hoping there’s some type of preemption -- because really, once again, our farmers are concerned about that patchwork of regulations. So, if there is no Farm Bill, if nothing happens, then that’s the concern that each state will create its own type of production standard or production regulations, and then our farmers are stuck working with that patchwork.”

The latest extension of the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law over the summer and runs through next September.

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“Now, we don’t know if income is dependent on a trade issue, and extra payment or disaster... or any number of things that we used to not have as high on the list of potential problems.”
“We raise one-third of the total U.S. pigs raised here come from Iowa. So, one out of every three pigs is raised right here in Iowa.”
“I’m optimistic that we will be able to get some good legislation in the Farm Bill.”