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NPPC remains hopeful for a Prop 12 fix as Senate Farm Bill advances

An Indiana pork producer says the industry remains cautiously optimistic Congress will find a way to address California’s Proposition 12 law in a new farm bill.

“We have hope,” she says.

Jackie Bowman Ponder with the National Pork Producers Council says there is still a path forward for a permanent fix.

“Because the House and the Senate versions are different, there has to be a meeting between leadership to reconcile,” she says. “It could still be included in the version that is sent to the House and the Senate for the final vote.”

The Senate Ag Committee advanced its version of the farm bill with bipartisan support Wednesday, without including the Save Our Bacon Act.

She tells Brownfield the legislation is an important step in creating a more consistent regulatory system.

“This a vote for food safety, food security, prices, and the protection of pig farmers from a patchwork of regulations across the country,” she says. 

Nearly 150 pork producers from 24 states visited Washington DC this week to discuss the impacts of Prop 12 and the challenges currently facing the industry.

AUDIO: Jackie Bowman Ponder