Nearly 100 Pork Producers from across the country made their way to D.C. last week to chat with legislators about pressure points on the pork industry. Indiana Pork members met with both Indiana senators and eight of the nine Indiana representatives to discuss several issues, including those presented by California’s Proposition 12.
Hamilton County Indiana Pork board director Todd Rodibaugh says pork producers should have a choice when it comes to how they raise their pigs and not have burdensome regulations like Prop 12 demands.
“You can easily snowball that issue into 50 states coming out with 50 different production practices and then making it nearly impossible to keep track of that on the farm. and in ultimately raising prices for consumers not only in the state of California, which we’ve seen to a certain extent with Prop 12, but across the nation.”
There has been talk that Prop 12 might be addressed in the Farm Bill, which House Ag Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) says will “without a doubt” be out of his committee by Memorial Day. Rodibaugh says the farm bill is important to pork producers for many other reasons.
“We had a lot of discussion on foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness. There are very important programs that need to be addressed by a farm bill in that regard. The National Animal Health Lab Network, veterinary stockpile, vaccine bank, the animal disease preparation and response program just to just to name a few.”
Rodibaugh adds, “And, of course, we want to keep a focus on the Beagle Brigade which has done a great job protecting our borders making sure no foreign pork products are entering illegally into the United States.
Rodibaugh thanked Indiana Pork and the National Pork Producers Council for arranging the trip. Hear more from Rodibaugh in the full HAT interview below.
