Standing Up for NC Pork Producers: Why a Prop 12 Fix Belongs in the Farm Bill
As Congress continues its work on the federal Farm Bill, the North Carolina Pork Council is carrying a clear message to lawmakers: the final legislation should include a federal fix for California's Proposition 12.
For North Carolina's pork producers, this is the single most important policy issue facing the industry, and the Council has been in Washington, D.C., meeting with members of Congress and their staffs to make the case.
What Is Proposition 12?
Proposition 12 is a California ballot measure, passed in 2018, that sets minimum space requirements for breeding pigs and prohibits the sale of pork in California unless it meets those standards, no matter where the pigs were raised. A farmer in North Carolina who has never set foot in California must comply with California's rules simply to sell into that market.
A Matter of Interstate Commerce
To be clear, this is not about telling California how to govern itself. California has every right to set agricultural standards for farms operating within its own borders.
The real question is whether one state should be able to dictate how farmers in North Carolina, Iowa, Minnesota, or anywhere else raise livestock as a condition of entering its market.
That is an interstate commerce issue, and when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12 in 2023, the justices made clear that resolving conflicts like this one is a job for Congress. Under the Constitution, Congress holds both the authority and the responsibility to act.
What's at Stake for North Carolina
North Carolina is home to more than 2,100 permitted pig farms, from multi-generation family operations to those working alongside the state's leading integrators. Together, they make us the nation's #3 pork-producing state and drive billions of dollars in economic impact for our communities.
Without a federal solution, these producers face serious hurdles:
Market uncertainty. Farmers cannot make long-term capital investments when the rules of the national marketplace can change state by state.
Rising operational costs. Retrofitting barns and restructuring livestock operations to meet out-of-state rules requires major capital investment, costs that don't stay on the farm.
A regulatory patchwork. If California can set production rules for farms in other states, so can every other state. Navigating dozens of conflicting state-level mandates is functionally impossible for any operation.
Higher grocery bills. These costs get passed down the supply chain. In California, USDA data shows retail pork prices have risen 18.7% year-over-year, nearly triple the 6.3% national increase, and a USDA study found low-income households there cut pork purchases by 22%.
The Path Forward: A Call to the Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives recognized this reality and included a bipartisan Proposition 12 fix in its version of the Farm Bill, passed earlier this year. Now the spotlight shifts to the Senate as it develops its own version of the bill.
"We appreciate the lawmakers who are taking the time to listen," said Roy Lee Lindsey, CEO of the North Carolina Pork Council. "North Carolina's pork producers are simply asking for a fair and predictable national marketplace that allows our farmers to keep doing what they do best: producing safe, affordable food for American families."
What Happens Next
The Senate is expected to continue work on its Farm Bill in the coming months. The North Carolina Pork Council will keep advocating for a uniform national standard, and we'll keep our members informed every step of the way.
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The North Carolina Pork Council has represented the state's pork producers since 1962. To support this work, become a member or contact our team.
Meta: What California's Proposition 12 means for North Carolina pork producers, and why the NC Pork Council is urging Congress to include a fix in the Farm Bill.