Key Takeaways

• Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall withdraws support for a bill aimed at eliminating state animal welfare regulations, including California’s Proposition 12.
• The move follows the House’s passage of a farm bill that includes provisions to end these regulations, which many agricultural groups back.
• Opponents argue that producers have already invested in compliance, while Marshall focuses on other agricultural issues, such as year-round E15 sales.

Marshall Reverses Course on Animal Welfare Bill

Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall has decided to withdraw his support for legislation that seeks to nullify state animal welfare regulations, notably California’s Proposition 12. This setback comes for the measure introduced by Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, which previously had eight co-sponsors but now stands at seven. The bill faced new challenges after the U.S. House passed a farm bill in April that includes the controversial “Save Our Bacon Act,” intended to eliminate state laws like Proposition 12.

Proposition 12 mandates minimum space requirements for breeding pigs, veal calves, and egg-laying hens while prohibiting the sale of meat and egg products from non-compliant farms. This rule has drawn significant attention, with nearly 400 agricultural groups, including the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation, endorsing the farm bill provision aimed at dismantling such regulations. Supporters claim the current patchwork of state laws is unsustainable and cite a North Dakota State University report indicating that pork prices have surged by as much as 30%, while pork consumption in California has dropped by 16% since the rule’s implementation.

Contrarily, opponents argue that producers have made substantial investments to adhere to these welfare standards. “We farmers in western Kansas are proud of Senator Marshall for heeding our message that farmers have upgraded their sow housing systems and for protecting their access to California’s humane pork market,” stated Mike Schultz, the founder of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association.

The National Pork Producers Council expressed disappointment over Marshall’s change of stance. Rob Brenneman, the Council’s president, emphasized the urgency of Congress addressing Prop 12, despite the pressures from activist campaigns that may have influenced Marshall’s decision.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, a Republican from Arkansas, indicated that he does not plan to include an anti-Prop 12 measure in the upcoming farm bill due to concerns about it being too divisive and potentially obstructing broader agricultural legislation. However, the provision may still be proposed as an amendment during Senate discussions. Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa has expressed hope that Boozman might reconsider this approach.

Currently, Marshall, who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is concentrating on other immediate agricultural concerns, specifically advocating for year-round sales of higher ethanol-gasoline blends, known as E15. Payton Fuller, Marshall’s communications director, reiterated that the senator is prioritizing this issue amid various challenges farmers face.

Holly Bice, president of the American Meat Producers Association, commended Marshall for removing his support for the bill, describing it as potentially harmful and highlighting the need to consider the real-world impact of agricultural policies. Bice expressed eagerness to see Marshall’s continued leadership in ensuring that no version of the “Save Our Bacon Act” is included in the final farm bill.

This story has been updated with comments from Senator Marshall’s office and the National Pork Producers Council.

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