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Pork industry urges action on state animal housing laws in farm bill

The National Pork Producers Council says the industry could be one step closer to regulatory certainty with the advancement of the farm bill.

CEO Brian Humphreys says relief from inconsistent animal housing laws -including Prop 12 – is long overdue. “Agriculture and the U.S. pork industry has been asking for this for several years now. This is not a want. It is a need.”

He tells Brownfield while much of the focus has been on the impact to producers, consumers have also felt the effects. “We’ve seen prices in California go up nearly 20 percent as the consumers there have had to deal with the patchwork that’s been created. We need to protect the rest of the American consumers from that.”

Director of Federal Affairs Molly O’Connor says the title would prohibit states from dictating how animals are raised. “That’s for covering all livestock, not just pork.”

President Rob Brenneman, a producer from Iowa, says resolving the issue this year is his top priority and expects there will be plenty of negotiating. “We’ll just have to see what it takes to get it over the finish line. We don’t know that yet.”

 The House Ag Committee recently advanced the legislation to the full House with some bipartisan support.

The bill also includes investments in animal health and trade.

Brian Humphreys:

Rob Brenneman: