State and local governments would be barred from interfering with the production of livestock in other states under legislation led by U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and supported by 18 Republicans.
“This legislation will stop out-of-touch activists — who don’t know the first thing about farming — from dictating how Iowa farmers do their job,” said Rep. Hinson, who sponsored the Save Our Bacon Act, H.R. 4673, alongside 18 GOP original cosponsors to ensure the free movement of livestock-derived products in interstate commerce.
Introduction of the bill has been prompted by state laws that opponents think arbitrarily set requirements for how producers should operate their farming businesses.
For instance, California in 2018 passed Proposition 12, which prohibits the sale of certain meat and poultry products unless they are produced in compliance with the state’s animal housing requirements.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2023 upheld Proposition 12 in a 5-4 decision, noting that Congress has the authority to determine how states may interfere with interstate commerce, according to information provided by Rep. Hinson’s office.
Similar state-level mandates, including Massachusetts’ Question 3, create further uncertainty for livestock producers and “risk an unworkable patchwork of state regulations” for American farmers, the information says.
On July 9, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of California over state laws that it said have caused grocery prices to skyrocket, including Prop 12.
“California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3 pose a major threat to family farms and food security — both in Iowa and across the country,” Rep. Hinson said. “The Save Our Bacon Act reaffirms livestock producers’ right to sell their products across state lines, without interference from arbitrary mandates.”
Among the cosponsors of H.R. 4673 are U.S. Reps. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Sam Graves (R-MO), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Mike Bost (R-IL), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA).
H.R. 4673 also has garnered support from numerous individuals and entities, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds; Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird; Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig; the National Pork Producers Council; the Iowa Pork Producers Association; and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
“Under the Trump administration, rural America will continue to be at the forefront of policy conversations that impact producers’ ability to feed and fuel the world — and there will be no bacon ban on my watch,” said Rep. Hinson.