Agreement Made with Massachusetts AG in Pork Rule Litigation

Today, the Restaurant Law Center, four state restaurant associations, the National Pork Producers Council, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office asked a federal judge to approve their settlement agreement in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Massachusetts Pork Rules. The agreement would end a lawsuit filed(Opens in a new window) by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, HospitalityMaine, New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association, Rhode Island Hospitality Association, the Restaurant Law Center, and the National Pork Producers Council that challenged enforcement guidelines and the underlying 2016 law defining the conditions under...

NPPC Statement on SCOTUS Opinion on California Proposition 12

“We are very disappointed with the Supreme Court’s opinion. Allowing state overreach will increase prices for consumers and drive small farms out of business, leading to more consolidation. We are still evaluating the Court’s full opinion to understand all the implications. NPPC will continue to fight for our nation’s pork farmers and American families against misguided regulations.”

– Scott Hays, NPPC president and Missouri pork producer

NPPC Urges Quick Passage of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the reintroduction of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023. This legislation would provide congressional authority to the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Detector Dog Training Center — a vital program in training agricultural canine teams that work daily to prevent foreign animal and plant diseases from entering the United States.

“Safe and reliable food production is critical to the United States’ continued national and economic security,” said Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minnesota...

Industry Reacts to USDA’s Proposed "Product of USA" Requirements

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a proposed rule featuring new regulatory requirements for the “Product of USA” label claim.

The rule would allow for the “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) said the USDA’s latest proposal would “result in trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico costing American consumers and businesses billions of dollars...

NPPC Statement on USDA’s Decision to Extend Line Speed Trial

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds USDA’s decision to allow eligible pork harvest facilities to continue experimenting with ergonomics, automation, and crewing while maintaining line speeds that have been proven able to protect food and worker safety for over two decades. Ensuring sufficient harvest capacity is critical to allow America’s pork producers to continue to provide wholesome pork products to consumers. This extension will allow USDA to assess a final report of the data collected during the time-limited trial and determine next steps...

NPPC Economic Update Gives Snapshot of Current Pork Industry Opportunities and Challenges

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) released its latest pork industry economic update that summarizes key pork industry market indicators through January 2023.

Q1 takeaways include:

- After declining 2.5% in 2022, USDA projects growth in pork production for 2023.

- Retail pork prices increased by 1.5% from December 2021 to 2022.

- The cost of raising pigs was record high in 2022, increasing 21% from the previous year.

- Labor market conditions and changing demographics are exacerbating the rural labor shortage...

NPPC Statement on President Biden’s State of the Union

NPPC supports the Biden administration and the United States Department of Agriculture’s work to remove unfair barriers to trade to enable more market opportunities for American pork farmers. Open trade and investment policies have made the U.S. pork industry more competitive internationally. Last year alone, the U.S. exported nearly $7.7 billion in U.S. pork and pork products to over 100 countries. America’s pork producers stand ready to back government efforts to maintain, diversify, and expand additional export markets for U.S. agriculture...

NPPC Statement on Farm Bill Trade and Horticulture Hearing

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the first Farm Bill hearing of the 118th Congress. We are pleased the Senate Agriculture Committee is taking up issues important to the pork industry. In 2021, the U.S. exported $8.1 billion worth of pork to more than 100 countries – increasing the average value of each pig marketed by nearly $63. These exports also support over 100,000 American jobs. Congress must provide strong investments in both the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) programs...

Industry Reacts to Confirmation of USDA Trade Undersecretary

The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Alexis Taylor, of Iowa, to be Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The move led to responses from industry associations and politicians involved in the agriculture and protein sector.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued this statement:

“USMEF thanks the U.S. Senate for its confirmation of Alexis Taylor, who will be a tremendous asset to USDA and a champion for U.S. agriculture. USMEF had many opportunities to work with Ms. Taylor in...

NPPC Statement on Philippines Extension of Reduced Pork Tariff Rates Through 2023

Statement by Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minnesota:

“The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s announcement on the extension of lower tariff rates on pork and other food items. Gaining better market access to the Philippines has been a top trade priority for U.S. pork producers. We hope that the U.S. and the Philippines will continue to work toward establishing better market access through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework...