The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is commending the efforts of U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) for introducing the Food Security and Farm Protection Act—a key piece of legislation aimed at shielding American pork producers from a growing patchwork of conflicting, state-by-state farm regulations.
In a statement issued from Washington, D.C., NPPC President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, emphasized the urgency of the bill:
“We thank Senators Ernst, Grassley, and Marshall for standing up for the American pork producer, especially during these times of uncertainty. U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they can pass along their farm to the next generation. We urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately to provide us much-needed relief.”
The legislation is designed to prevent burdensome and inconsistent regulations from taking root at the state level, which could drastically increase operational costs, particularly for small and medium-sized producers.
What’s at Stake Without Federal Action
-
Costly compliance burdens from out-of-state regulations, including the need to pay external auditors.
-
Sharp increases in production costs, threatening the viability of family farms.
-
Higher prices at the grocery store, with pork costs potentially rising by up to 41%.
-
More uncertainty for producers already recovering from unprecedented financial losses.
The bill is also gaining bipartisan momentum, with support from both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, as well as their respective former Agriculture Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Tom Vilsack.
As the pork industry works to recover from financial setbacks and shifting global trade conditions, the NPPC continues to call for swift legislative action to protect farmers, stabilize production costs, and ensure pork remains affordable and accessible for consumers.
Swine Web will continue to monitor the progress of the Food Security and Farm Protection Act and its potential impact on producers across the country.
