National Pork Producers Council: Senate Republicans Release Farm Bill Framework
What happened: U.S. Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Nutrition Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) released the Republicans’ framework for the next farm bill. It incorporates all of NPPC’s farm bill priorities, including a provision to fix the problems caused by California’s Proposition 12.
In addition to addressing Prop. 12 — which bans the sale in California of pork from hogs born to sows that aren’t raised in housing that meets the state’s arbitrary standards — Boozman’s plan calls for funding U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs related to preparing for and preventing foreign animal diseases (FADs), promoting U.S. exports, and eradicating feral swine. It would authorize the National Detector Dog Training Center, which trains canines used at U.S. ports of entry to detect agricultural contraband, and permanently approve faster harvest line speeds at meatpacking plants.
In related news, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week said of Prop. 12, "Every state has the right to regulate the activities of farmers within their state borders. Where there’s disagreement is whether states have the right or the ability to extend their view about how livestock should be raised to farmers in other states." Vilsack has made similar remarks supportive of a Prop. 12 fix before the Senate and House Agriculture Committees this year.
Boozman’s plan will need to be considered with the framework that Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) issued in March. While much of that measure focuses on conservation, farm loans, nutrition programs, and rural development, it does include several of the same provisions that are in Boozman’s framework. But Stabenow’s measure also has problematic provisions relating to the Packers and Stockyards Act and voluntary U.S. origin labeling claims for USDA Food Safety Inspection Service products.
In May, the House Agriculture Committee passed its farm bill, which included 100% of NPPC’s priorities.
NPPC’s take: NPPC strongly supports Sen. Boozman’s farm bill framework and is urging swift passage of an agricultural blueprint that addresses California Prop. 12, FADs, feral swine eradication, export promotion, detector dog training, and harvest line speeds. NPPC also is encouraging House lawmakers to move their farm bill to the floor soon for consideration.
Why it matters: The five-year farm bill sets farm, conservation, forestry, and nutrition policy and authorizes various agricultural programs, including ones related to FAD preparation and prevention and export promotion.
[Source: NPPC 14 June 2024]