NPPC Urges Quick Senate Action on Legislative Relief for Hog Farmers 

COVID-related challenges have taken a severe financial and emotional toll on U.S. hog farmers, and rapid federal government assistance is needed to help thousands of pork producers weather this crisis. At a press briefing hosted by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), four pork producers addressed the crisis on their farms and called on the U.S. Senate to expeditiously adopt livestock agriculture provisions included in COVID-relief legislation recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The impact of COVID-19 has caused hog values to plummet, creating a financial disaster for pork producers nationwide who face a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of the year. Additionally, U.S. pork producers face...

DOJ Provides Guidance for U.S. Pork Industry Response to COVID Crisis

The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division provided guidance for collaboration among U.S. hog farmers to effectively address unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The favorable decision is in response to a “business review” letter submitted to the DOJ by the National Pork Producers Council seeking permission to allow hog farmers greater flexibility in working to maximize the number of hogs entering the food supply, minimize the tragic need to euthanize hogs, and, facilitate the safe and orderly euthanization of those hogs which are not able to enter the food supply.

COVID-related pork packing plant closures and slowdowns have caused a severe back-up of pigs on farms. Overcrowding impacts pigs’ ability to rest comfortably and may result in...

NPPC Supports Livestock Provisions of Heroes Act

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) expressed strong support for livestock agriculture provisions in the Heroes Act introduced by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations. These provisions include funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide:

• Compensation for euthanized livestock that can’t be processed into the food supply due to COVID-related packing plant capacity reductions. This fact sheet provides an overview of the current challenge faced by U.S. pork producers.
• Expanded direct payments to livestock famers who have suffered severe losses as COVID-related market disruptions have caused the value of...

Hog Farmers Face COVID-19 Financial Crisis 

The impact of COVID-19 has caused hog values to plummet, creating a financial disaster for pork producers nationwide who face a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of the year. At a press briefing, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) outlined the crisis as described by producers and the immediate relief they are requesting from the administration and Congress.

“We remain committed to supplying Americans with high-quality U.S. pork, but face a dire situation that threatens the livelihoods of thousands of farm families,” said NPPC President Howard “A.V.” Roth, a pork producer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. “We are taking on water fast. Immediate action is imperative, or a lot of hog farms will go under.”

The suspension of pork packing plant operations and rising employee absenteeism due to COVID-19 has exacerbated an existing harvest facility capacity challenge due to...

NPPC Urges SBA to Ensure Ag Businesses Can Access Disaster Loan Program

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined 30 agriculture organizations yesterday in urging the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure agricultural business can participate in the economic disaster loan program included in the CARES Act.

Earlier this week, SBA posted information on its Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program website stating applicants do not qualify for loans if they are an agricultural enterprise (e.g. farm). However, the CARES Act, signed into law last month, does not specifically exclude agriculture from this program. Congress intended for all business fewer than...

NPPC Renews Call for Labor Solutions for Pork Production Continuity 

NPPC Tells Congress Oversight for Gene-Edited Livestock Should Be Under USDA 

Thanks to innovation and continuous improvements, U.S. hog farmers are the world’s leading suppliers of high-quality, safe and affordable pork. However, America is in danger of losing its leadership standing due to significant flaws in its current approach to regulating emerging animal breeding technologies, Iowa Pork Producers President Dr. Michael Paustian testified this morning before the Senate Agriculture Committee. Oversight should be under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), not the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Gene editing technology, which allows for precise changes within an animal’s own genome, offers tremendous promise to combat animal disease while producing safe food in a more sustainable fashion. “Livestock producers need...

NPPC Seeks Labor Solutions for Potential COVID-19 Impact on Pork Supply Chain 

The fallout from an ongoing labor shortage facing the U.S. pork industry and other agriculture sectors could significantly worsen due to the impact of COVID-19, the National Pork Producers Council said in a letter to U.S. government officials. NPPC’s concerns regarding COVID-19 are labor specific. There is no evidence that pigs can contract the virus.

In a letter to the president and other administration officials, members of Congress, and state governors, NPPC called for expedited solutions addressing the need for more workers on hog farms and in pork plants. It also called on federal, state and local governments to work together to develop a response to COVID-19 that protects public health and...

NPPC Elects New Officers, Board Members

The National Pork Producers Council elected new officers and members to its board of directors at its National Pork Industry Forum.

Howard AV Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wis., was elected NPPC president. A fifth-generation farmer, he owns and operates Roth Feeder Pigs. In addition to serving on the NPPC board for the past eight years, Roth previously sat on the Wisconsin Pork Association board of directors and currently serves as chairman of the association’s Swine Health Committee.

Roth takes over from David Herring, a hog farmer from Lillington, N.C., who becomes NPPC immediate past president and chairman of the council’s trade and...

USDA Announces ASF Response Plan; Prevention Remains Top Priority 

At the National Pork Industry Forum, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach announced an African swine fever (ASF) action plan should the swine-only disease be detected in the United Sates. To date, the United States is free of African swine fever; prevention remains the number one priority for the National Pork Producers Council.

According to the plan, USDA Secretary Perdue would immediately declare an “extraordinary emergency” if ASF was detected in the United States. In doing so, the USDA would be established as the leader of a national, coordinated response to control and eradicate the swine disease, which poses no human health or food safety risks. By declaring an extraordinary emergency, the USDA ensures...

NPPC Heralds Signing of Ag Inspectors Bill

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) thanks President Trump for signing into law on Tuesday legislation (S. 2107) that authorizes funding for 720 new agricultural inspectors at land, air and sea ports to prevent African swine fever (ASF) and other foreign animal diseases (FAD) from entering the United States. Providing additional agricultural inspectors represents a top priority for NPPC.

“Ensuring we have enough agricultural inspectors at our borders is critical to maintaining a healthy U.S. swine herd,” said NPPC President David Herring, a hog farmer from Lillington, N.C. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have done much to mitigate the risk to animal disease. Bolstered by this legislation, even more...

U.S. Pork Industry Requests Additional ASF Prevention Measures

Thanks to continued vigilance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. pork industry, the United States has so far prevented an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), an animal disease affecting only pigs with no human health or food safety risks. To ensure the U.S. swine herd remains free of the disease, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and 30 state pork producer associations today asked Agriculture Secretary Perdue to take additional measures, including restricting imports of organic soy products for animal feeds from all ASF-positive countries.

The U.S. pork and feed industries have adopted holding times to allow for the natural degradation of any viruses, to ensure that most imported feed ingredients are safe to use. Research indicates, however...

NPPC Applauds House Passage of Ag Inspectors Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation that authorizes funding for 740 new agricultural inspectors at land, air and sea ports to prevent African swine fever (ASF) and other foreign animal diseases (FAD) from entering the United States. In October 2019, the Senate approved an identical version of the bill (S. 2107), which the House approved today. Providing additional agricultural inspectors represents a top priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

“For more than a year, NPPC has advocated for more agricultural inspectors at our borders,” said NPPC President David Herring, a hog farmer from Lillington, N.C. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection have done much to mitigate risk to animal disease, but we must remain vigilant. Today’s vote represents a tremendous victory for our farmers, consumers and...

Industry Applauds Senate Ratification of the USMCA 

The Senate passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, by a bipartisan vote of 89-10. The USMCA will advance United States agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness. The agreement builds upon existing markets to expand U.S. food and agricultural exports while supporting food processing and rural jobs. Canada and Mexico are the first and second largest export markets for U.S. food and agricultural products, totaling more than $39.7 billion food and agricultural exports in 2018, supporting 325,000 American jobs. Now, the USMCA will be heading to President Trump's desk for his signature.

Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said, "We’ve long waited for this day and now USMCA will finally head to the President’s desk. The passage of USMCA is great news for America’s farmers and ranchers. With Congressional consideration now complete...

Impossible Foods CEO Criticizes Meat Industry; Intends to Replace Animals for Food Production

Pat Brown, CEO of Impossible Foods, criticized the meat industry in a recent interview, calling it "the most destructive technology on Earth by far." Brown added that the company's ultimate goal is to completely replace animals as a form of food with plant-based products by the year 2035. Impossible Foods currently offers a plant-based beef burger, and a new sausage product will be offered at various Burger King locations across the United States for testing this month. The company also announced that it will introduce ground pork and sausage, but there is no word on availability at this time. With beef and pork alternatives becoming readily available to consumers, Brown stated that poultry options are on the way as well.

Brown claims that Impossible Foods is so important because of the impact the meat industry has on the environment. However, testifying on behalf of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association at a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on climate change in May, Kansas cattle producer Debbie Lyons-Blythe delivered a clear message...

NPPC: Impossible Pork is Impossible; Violates Labelling Law 

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) today called Impossible Foods’ naming convention for its plant-based products designed to mimic real pork a brazen violation of labelling law. Citing law that prohibits the use of words that redefine pork as it has been known by consumers for centuries, Dr. Dan Kovich, director of science and technology for the National Pork Producers Council, issued the following statement:

“What’s impossible is to make pork from plants. This is a brazen attempt to circumvent decades of food labelling law and centuries of precedence. Any adjective placed in front of the word pork can...

NPPC Applauds Senate Committee Approval of USMCA

Today, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, which once implemented will provide much-needed certainty to U.S. pork producers.

“We thank Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for making USMCA passage a top priority and we thank those members of the committee who support this important trade deal,” said National Pork Producers Council President David Herring, a hog farmer from Lillington, N.C. “USMCA will allow the U.S. pork industry to maintain long-term, zero-duty market access to two of our largest export markets.

“We now urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to schedule a vote on the floor...

Industry Reacts to Agreement on USMCA 

United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced agreement on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mexico approved U.S. changes to the USMCA, paving the way for a congressional ratification. The Trump Administration worked closely with Congressional Democrats to address their concerns in the revisions to the trade agreement.

The USMCA will advance U.S. agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness. This high-standard agreement builds upon the country's existing markets to expand United States food and agricultural exports while supporting food processing and rural jobs. According to the USDA, Canada and Mexico are the first and...

U.S. Pork Can Reduce Overall U.S. Trade Deficit with China by Nearly Six Percent

Securing zero-tariff access to China for U.S. pork would be an economic boon for American agriculture and the country, according to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). Based on an analysis by Iowa State University (ISU) Economist Dermot Hayes, NPPC says unrestricted access to the Chinese chilled and frozen market would reduce the overall trade deficit with China by nearly six percent and generate 184,000 new U.S. jobs in the next decade. NPPC today launched a digital campaign to spotlight the importance of opening the Chinese market to U.S. pork as trade negotiations continue.

“Were it not for China’s tariffs that are severely limiting access to American goods and other restrictions, including customs clearance delays, U.S. pork could be an economic powerhouse, creating thousands of new jobs, expanding sales and dramatically slashing our nation’s trade deficit. China’s actions would...

NPPC Launches 'Pork O' Clock' to Highlight Importance of USMCA Agreement 

Today, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) launched a dynamic new campaign, “It’s Pork O’ Clock Somewhere,” to highlight the importance and benefits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement. The campaign focuses on pork and the many ways it’s enjoyed across North America.

“Ratification of USMCA is the top priority for U.S. pork producers and there is no better way to highlight its importance than a campaign that illustrates how pork is enjoyed across United States, Canada and Mexico,” said David Herring, NPPC president and a pork producer in Lillington, N.C. “A USMCA agreement provides much-needed market certainty for U.S. pork producers, ensuring...

Agriculture Groups Urge USDA to Quickly Establish Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank

Representatives of the National Pork Producers Council, the National Milk Producers Federation, the National Corn Growers Association and Iowa State University today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to move as quickly as possible to establish a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank.

At a press conference today, these groups recognized the steps USDA has taken to establish the bank, but called for expedient use of mandatory funding included in the 2018 Farm Bill to purchase the volume of vaccines required to effectively contain and eradicate an FMD outbreak. Currently, the USDA, which has prescribed vaccination for dealing with an FMD outbreak, does not have access to...

U.S. Pork Producers Seeking Expanded Export Opportunities

The U.S. pork industry ships more product to the 20 countries covered by free-trade agreements than we do the rest of the world combined. Therefore, expanding export opportunities through trade agreements remains a top priority for U.S. pork producers, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Director of International Affairs Maria Zieba said today at a Global Business Dialogue event in Washington, D.C.

NPPC was very pleased this week when the U.S. and Japan signed a trade agreement, returning U.S. pork to a level playing field in one of its most important export markets. With a trade deal in place with Japan, NPPC is focusing on trade agreements with...

NPPC Officers Join President Trump for Japan Trade Pact Signing Ceremony 

President Trump and Japanese Prime Minster Abe signed a trade agreement that will once again allow U.S. pork producers to compete on a level playing field in Japan. NPPC President David Herring and President-Elect Howard “A.V.” Roth joined President Trump for the signing of the agreement in New York during the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

“I am honored to represent U.S. pork producers at a signing ceremony so important to my fellow hog farmers around the country,” said Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, North Carolina. “We’ve seen market share declines in Japan, historically our largest value export market, since the start of the year when international competitors gained...

NPPC Statement on China Market Access 

Chinese media reported that it was suspending the imposition of punitive tariffs on U.S. pork imports. The following is a statement from National Pork Producers Council President David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C.:

“If media reports are accurate, this is a most welcome development. The Chinese have placed punitive tariffs of 60% on most U.S. pork products, bringing the effective tariff rate on most U.S. pork to 72%.

“According to Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, the Chinese retaliation on U.S. pork has shaved $8 off the price of every hog sold in the United States for well over a year. Most of our competitors face only a...

NPPC Applauds EPA's Actions to Finalize New WOTUS Rule

The National Pork Producers Council applauded today’s action by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), repealing the previous Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and laying the groundwork for a new final rule.

The previous WOTUS rule was issued by the Obama administration in August 2015, giving EPA broad jurisdiction over U.S. waters to include other water bodies, upstream waters and intermittent and ephemeral streams that farmers use for drainage and irrigation. Most importantly, it also covered lands adjacent to waters such as farm fields. Prior to the 2015 rule, EPA’s jurisdiction over waterways – based on several U.S. Supreme Court decisions – included “navigable” waters and waters with a significant hydrologic connection to navigable waters.

“We’re pleased the EPA is moving towards a common sense WOTUS rule that works with—not against—farmers to protect our nation’s waterways,” said NPPC President David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C. “The previous WOTUS rule was a dramatic government overreach and an unprecedented expansion of federal authority over private lands. Today’s action will remove the threat...

Pork Producers Urge Congress to Ratify USMCA and Support Measures to Prevent Foreign Animal Disease

Congressional ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), allowing the U.S. pork industry to maintain zero-duty market access to two of its largest export markets, remains a top priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). More than 120 pork producers from across the country helped spread this and other messages on Capitol Hill this week during NPPC’s Fall Legislative Action Conference (LAC).

“Last year, Canada and Mexico took over 40 percent of the pork that was exported from the U.S. and they are expected to be a large percentage this year as well,” said NPPC President David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C. “USMCA will strengthen...

U.S. Pork Industry Receives USDA Grant to Open ASF Dialogue in Asia 

The global outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), a disease affecting only pigs with no human health or food safety risks, is growing, with new cases appearing throughout Southeast Asia and China. While there are no reported cases of ASF in the U.S., a grant recently awarded to the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), with active support from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), aims to start a dialogue between the two regions, sharing veterinary knowledge and ways to prevent the disease from further spreading.

The approximately $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Animal Service division will fund the multi-phase project, helping to build strategic partnerships, while increasing trade of U.S. pork to the region. The work will include swine health field projects, including...

NPPC Prevails Against HSUS Attack on Animal Agriculture

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit today ruled in favor of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) in its appeal to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The court rejected HSUS’s attempt to advance an anti-meat activist agenda through an unwarranted suit designed to hurt 60,000 U.S. pork producers and undermine a farm sector critical to rural communities and that employs hundreds of thousands of Americans.

The court rejected HSUS’ attempted challenge to the National Pork Board’s 2006 federally approved purchase from NPPC of trademarks associated with the organization’s “Pork: The Other White Meat” campaign and payments associated with the agreement. While HSUS claimed it and others were...

Industry Reacts to U.S. Trade Agreement with Japan 

On Sunday, President Trump announced that the United States and Japan reached a trade deal in principle, that would pave the way for more exports of U.S. agricultural products to Japan. In a tweet, President Trump stated, "We have excess corn in various parts of our country with our farmers because China did not do what they said they were going to do. And Prime Minister, Abe Shinzo, on behalf of Japan, they're going to be buying all of that corn."

Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said, "Japan is a significant market for United States agriculture exports, making today a good day for American agriculture. By removing existing barriers for our products, we will be able to sell more to the Japanese markets." Perdue added that at the same time, the United States will be able to close gaps that allow...

U.S. Pork Industry Battling Challenges, NPPC President Tells Capitol Hill

The U.S. pork industry faces numerous challenges both at home and abroad that, if not addressed, will pose significant harm to our farms, rural communities and ultimately consumers, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President David Herring, a pork producer from Lillington, N.C., testified this morning before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

“One of the most damaging threats to the U.S. pork industry has been the punitive, retaliatory trade tariffs that China and other countries have imposed,” Herring told the subcommittee.

China is the largest consumer and importer of pork in the world, but U.S. hog farmers have been sidelined, Herring told the subcommittee, due to China’s...