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Prop 12 fix vital omission from Senate farm bill

The president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association says the industry needs a new farm bill to include a legislative fix for California’s Prop 12.

Katie Brown, a fifth-generation hog farmer in Christian County, says the House passed a bill addressing the animal confinement law, but it was not included in the stalled Senate version.

“Pretty disappointed that we weren’t able to make some changes coming out of the Senate Ag Committee.”  She says, “We’re hoping that this fall maybe we’ll see some movement or change.”

Proposition 12 requires gestating sows to be kept in no less than 24-square feet of area for the pork to be sold within the state.  Brown says the industry scientific standard is about 15 square feet.

“The state of California just kind of threw a number out there and said if you want to sell to California, this is what you have to do.”  She says, “Okay, well, then I need to raise pigs one way for everybody else, but I also need to raise pigs this way for the state of California.”

She tells Brownfield if Congress fails to act, the potential patchwork of regulations is likely to hurt pork production.

“In reality, if that sow farm was to become Prop 12 compliant, they either have to drop their mated inventory, so reduce the number of sows they have on the farm, or they have to expand, which is very expensive,” she says.

Brown says it’ll also affect the retail price of pork as evidenced by current price trends within California.

“If you’re buying food for your family, are you really wanting to pay that extra 20%?”  She says, “Are they going to go to a different protein source?”

The Senate Ag Committee is expected to continue farm bill discussions after the August recess.

Brownfield spoke with Brown at the 2026 Illinois State Fair.

AUDIO: Katie Brown – Illinois Pork Producers