NPPC Celebrates Passage of Farm Bill 2.0 by House Agriculture Committee

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has expressed strong support following the House Agriculture Committee’s approval of the bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, commonly known as Farm Bill 2.0. This legislation seeks to offer crucial relief to pork producers grappling with a confusing maze of state animal housing laws exacerbated by California’s Proposition 12.

NPPC leadership argues that such regulations jeopardize small farmers, risk industry consolidation, and challenge states’ rights to implement their own laws. “Pork producers of all shapes and sizes need this regulatory relief, and we are grateful for Chairman Thompson’s steady commitment to providing it,” stated Duane Stateler, NPPC president and pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

Stateler emphasized the importance of moving forward, saying, “Now, it is up to the full House of Representatives to finish the job – pass this farm bill and give agricultural producers across the country true freedom to farm.”

For years, NPPC has spearheaded efforts to address the looming issue of a 50-state patchwork of laws, most recently rallying a dozen national farm, agriculture, and transportation groups to call on Congress for resolution. Their united stance is clear: no single state law should dictate regulations for agricultural producers nationwide.

Key Priorities Addressed in Farm Bill 2.0

Besides providing relief from Proposition 12, Farm Bill 2.0 addresses several additional priorities crucial to U.S. pork producers:

• Transitioning the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program into a fully funded initiative.
• Boosting financial support for agricultural trade promotion programs, including the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program.
• Mandating USDA to analyze how potential changes to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement could impact agriculture.
• Establishing the Agricultural Trade Enforcement Task Force to better identify and mitigate trade barriers.
• Expanding the Animal Health Protection Act to enhance animal disease traceability.
• Allowing the formation of additional training centers under the Beagle Brigade Act.
• Enforcing comprehensive documentation of USDA’s capacity to shield producers from significant economic losses due to foreign animal diseases.
• Implementing caps on administrative expenses for crucial programs to allocate more funds for research.
• Mandating USDA to formulate policies to insure pork producers against financial setbacks from catastrophic diseases.

NPPC serves as the global advocate for the U.S. pork industry, safeguarding the livelihoods of over 60,000 pork producers committed to ethical animal care, environmental protection, and public health, while delivering safe and nutritious pork products to consumers globally.

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