Feenstra

For too long, Iowa’s hog farmers have faced growing uncertainty because of California’s egregious Proposition 12. This unfair mandate has imposed costly, unscientific regulations on pork producers across the country – even though California produces less than one-tenth of one percent of the nation’s hogs. That is why I was proud that the Farm Bill included the Save Our Bacon Act, which I introduced alongside Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, to overturn Prop 12 and ensure common sense in our agricultural policy.

Simply put, Prop 12 allows one state to dictate how farmers in every other state raise their livestock. Iowa farmers produce nearly 40 percent of all U.S. hogs, and yet they are being forced to comply with activist-driven standards set by a state with virtually no stake in pork production. This policy threatens our farmers’ livelihoods, increases grocery bills for families, and undermines animal health and food security.

The cost of complying with Prop 12 is disastrous for Iowa’s producers and farmers. Experts estimate that meeting the mandate would cost producers up to $4,500 per sow. For family farms that are already operating on tight margins and facing high input costs, this would force them to spend millions of dollars on new infrastructure to renovate barns and facilities or reduce the size of their herds. The average farm cannot afford these changes, and the result would be family farms shutting their doors entirely.

Consumers are already seeing the consequences of this mandate. In California, pork prices have increased by 20 to 40 percent since the mandate has taken effect. Families at the grocery store are left paying higher prices without alternative options. Policies like Prop 12 hurt both farmers who produce our food and the families who rely on affordable groceries.

Iowa’s 4th District is the largest producer of hogs anywhere in the United States. This success is built on generations of family farmers who care deeply about their animals and continually adopt new technologies and practices to ensure the highest standards of animal care.

Prop 12 disregards that reality. It is not based on sound science or proven animal husbandry practices. In fact, veterinarians across the country oppose Prop 12 and note that the arbitrary housing requirements do not improve animal welfare. Instead, these changes can cause increased stress, injuries, and mortality rates across hog herds. This mandate replaces the expertise of farmers and animal health professionals with rigid, misguided standards that could harm herd health and weaken our food supply chain.

The passage of this Farm Bill gives us an opportunity to fix this problem. By including the Save Our Bacon Act, we can stop states and local governments from regulating agriculture beyond their borders. This, in turn, restores fairness and ensures that farmers are not forced to comply with conflicting state regulations.

Agriculture cannot afford more delays; we must pass a strong Farm Bill. One that restores certainty, stability, and policies that support – not punish – farmers’ ability to feed and fuel the world.

It’s time to finish the job, pass this Farm Bill, and finally put an end to the harmful Prop 12 mandate.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa’s Fourth District in the U.S. House.