October 8 to October 9, 2025, farmers and lobbyists supporting existing state law that maintain animal welfare standards for livestock, plan to rally in Washington D.C., as the Republican Congress considers a rollback of the measures, citing higher consumer prices.
American hog farming is divided into two realms of production. The vast majority of pork available for consumption–reportedly 93 percent— is raised via larger businesses, raising 2,000 pigs or more. The rest are made up of smaller farm operations of less than 2,000 animals.
The Responsible Meat Coalition, a group of meat companies, retailers, and hog farmers are coming to D.C. to make their case for California’s Proposition 12, and other state measures. Among those regulations, are mandates to require individual female animals that are pregnant to have the room to turn around in their cages.
“Voters made their voices heard, and we agree with them that animals deserve space to move,” stated Russ Kremer in a press release. Kremer is a Missouri hog farmer and Head of Farm Partnerships for True Story Foods. “Prop. 12 gives small farms like ours the opportunity to survive during a time when agriculture is heavily consolidated and independent farmers are being pushed out. If Congress rolls back Prop. 12, that’s a move against family farmers.”
The larger pork producers seem to see things differently. National Hog Farmer (NHF) reported that “fixing” Proposition 12, and other state laws via Congress was the first thing on their agenda for this year.
“The patchwork of laws set in motion by California’s Proposition 12 threatens our mission by raising prices for consumers, reducing choices, and putting thousands of family farms at risk,” National Pork Producer Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio said in a press release. “Congress must act now to ensure a patchwork of regulations does not further threaten this industry we have worked so hard to build.”
In September the NPPC hosted its annual “Baconfest” reception, which brought together congressional representatives, staff, and others to “celebrate America’s pork producers and showcase the vital role pork plays on dinner plates across America.” For its part the Responsible Meat Council plans to have a press conference in D.C., complete with a replica of one of the crates some pigs whose states are not subject to regulation, are forced to spend time being raised in. They also plan to do a small convoy of tractors and pickup trucks around the Capitol building the following day.
Back in March, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, cited an agenda by her department to increase American meat production.
“America leads the world in pork and poultry production, and we are committed to ensuring our producers remain competitive on a global scale without being held back by unnecessary bureaucracy,” she is quoted as saying in a USDA press release.
She aimed to institute measures that would allow waivers to facilitate higher production line speeds, and remove duplication of worker safety data.
The Responsible Meat Coalition is emphasizing the trend in the American grocery market of both consumers and farmers being more sensitive to the everyday lives of the farm animals that come to their tables.
“Consumer interest in animal welfare continues to accelerate with no signs of slowing down, and undermining Prop. 12 punishes the producers who stepped up and the consumers who voted in favor of farming practices they believe in., stated Mike Salguero, founder and CEO of ButcherBox, in the Coalition’s statement.
The issues are anticipated to be voted on by Congress when the new Farm Bill comes up for consideration, perhaps before the end of the 2025.
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