NPPC Applauds the Philippines' Decision to Import More Pork

To combat rising pork prices and stabilize supplies, the Philippine government announced it will provide more market access for pork imports. Securing better access to the Philippines market has been a top, long-term trade priority for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

“Since 2019, the Philippines has been battling African swine fever (ASF), and as a result, domestic production has declined, supplies have tightened, and pork prices have spiked,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson, communications director for Iowa Select Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa. “While we are saddened by the spread of...

NPPC: Bill Addressing Agriculture Labor 'Step In the Right Direction'

Legislation introduced on Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, would reform the H-2A visa program to address the agricultural labor shortage. Among other provisions, it would amend the H-2A program to allow a capped number of visas for farmworkers to work year-round. The following statement is attributable to National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Jen Sorenson, communications director for Iowa Select Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa.

“The U.S. pork industry is suffering from a serious labor shortage, negatively impacting farms and processing plants. Unfortunately, the current H-2A visa program is designed for seasonal agriculture, ignoring the needs of...

NPPC Submits Comments on Proposed USDA Rule for Gene-Edited Livestock

For more than two years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has dragged its feet on the development of gene-edited livestock, an emerging technology with tremendous promise for livestock agriculture,causing American agriculture to fall behind in the global race to advance its development. Thankfully, under a recently proposed rule, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will have primary regulatory jurisdiction, which “will foster innovation, allow for producer access to this technology, and preserve the preeminence of American agriculture globally,” the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) wrote in comments submitted Wednesday to the agency.

Gene editing is used to make specific changes within an animal’s own genome. Gene editing will allow us to produce animals that are more disease-resistant, require fewer antibiotics and with...

NPPC Applauds Regan Nomination to Head EPA

President-Elect Joe Biden on Thursday nominated Michael Regan as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Regan most recently led the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The following statement may be attributed to National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin.

“NPPC congratulates Michael Regan on his nomination. As DEQ secretary in North Carolina, a leading pork-producing state, he always had an open door, valued diverse points of view, and worked to find solutions that ensured science and data were guiding decisions. We hope those same qualities will be carried over to his leadership at EPA...

NPPC Supports Vilsack Nomination to Head USDA

President-Elect Joe Biden today nominated Tom Vilsack to be the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an agency he led for eight years under the Obama administration. The following statement may be attributed to National Pork Producers Council President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin.

“We congratulate Tom Vilsack on his nomination. As both the former governor of Iowa, the top pork-producing state in the country, and the former USDA secretary, he understands how critical a vibrant American farm sector...

NPPC Petition Leads to U.S. Trade Sanctions Against Thailand

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it is suspending $817 million in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program because the country hasn’t made sufficient progress providing the United States with “equitable and reasonable market access” for pork products. The decision follows a 2018 petition by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) asking the USTR to review Thailand’s eligibility for the GSP program, one that offers duty-free treatment to certain goods entering the United States.

“For years, Thailand has taken full advantage of special U.S. trade benefits, while imposing a completely unjustified de facto ban on U.S. pork. This is hardly a...

Bacon Farmers Seek Immediate COVID-Relief Action 

President Trump expressed disappointment regarding the ongoing stalemate in the development of new COVID-relief legislation, saying his lead negotiator “hasn’t come home with the bacon.” Without immediate relief for hog farmers in crisis, the treasury secretary may not be the only one not bringing home the bacon, according to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

“We’ve lost hog farmers of all sizes due to the COVID pandemic and need additional relief to preserve a highly competitive pork production system in the United States,” said NPPC President Howard A.V. Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. “Without federal assistance, we will...

NPPC: COVID-19 Impact Demonstrates Need to Enhance Livestock Risk Protection Program

The National Pork Producers Council and 26 state pork associations representing thousands of American hog farmers have asked the USDA’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to implement enhancements to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance program. These changes would mitigate the impact of unexpected declines in hog values from unanticipated events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 crisis in our farm sector has demonstrated the enormous value of an enhanced LRP,” said NPPC President Howard A.V. Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin...

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...