Today, a group of independent hog farmers from Farm Action Fund’s farmer network sent a letter to the House Committee on Agriculture, thanking members who support California’s Proposition 12 and urging the Committee to reject efforts to overturn it.
“For us, this market is not political, but rather an opportunity to improve the financial success of our operations. Proposition 12 has created a stable, premium market that allows us to sustain our farms, invest in better infrastructure and livestock care, and continue farming in an increasingly consolidated industry,” the letter reads. “We readily decided to comply with these standards, made the necessary investments, and now rely on this market as a part of our farms’ financial futures.”
The letter, signed by 15 midwestern hog farmers, was sent ahead of the Committee’s hearing scheduled today to examine the “implications” of Proposition 12, a law banning the sale of pork produced with gestation crates. The letter thanks members of Congress for standing with independent farmers and rejecting the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, a bill that would effectively repeal Proposition 12 and block similar laws in other states.
Notably, neither the signers nor any other representative of America’s independent hog farmers were invited to testify at the hearing. Farm Action Fund organized the letter to ensure these farmers’ voices were heard and entered into the Congressional Record.
Since Proposition 12 went into effect in January 2024, compliant farmers have adapted and are now benefiting from a more stable and predictable marketplace. They say efforts to repeal the law would only serve to protect the interests of massive corporate pork producers—including China-owned Smithfield Foods—at the expense of independent American farmers. As the highly consolidated meatpacking sector squeezes independent producers out of business, Congress must protect this rare market opportunity.
“Multinational firms do not need Congress to shield them from competition, but family farmers like us need fair access to markets we have earned,” the letter continues.
Media Contact: Emma Nicolas, 202-450-0094, [email protected]
