Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) testified before the House Committee on Agriculture on the next farm bill this week. She urged fellow lawmakers to include a provision aimed at tackling market access issues caused by California Proposition 12 (Prop. 12) and Massachusetts Question 3 (Question 3). These ballot measures ban the sale of pork from hogs born to sows raised in housing that fails to meet the states’ arbitrary standards.
Hinson — a key member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration — stressed that Prop. 12 (and Question 3) “has the potential to disrupt the free movement of goods across state lines and poses a serious threat to family farms across the country.”
Click here to watch Hinson’s testimony.
Why it matters: Unchecked extraterritorial regulations, like Prop. 12 and Question 3, could force pork producers who want to continue to sell products in those states to convert existing sow pens to housing that complies with the initiatives’ standards. That would cost between $1.9 billion and $3.2 billion, according to a University of Minnesota study. Hinson relayed concerns from her constituents that would create uncertainty for family farmers, drive industry consolidation, and give farmers fewer options to source and market their pigs – all while driving up food prices.
NPPC’s take: NPPC continues to advocate for efforts to mitigate the effects of Prop. 12 and Question 3.
