Washington, DC — The US Agriculture Secretary says she’s open to federal action in response to a California state law that would restrict the way farmers in Iowa raise pigs.
Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, asked about the issue in a House budget hearing. Supporters say California’s Proposition 12 improves animal welfare, but Hinson and many in the pork industry say it imposes a financial burden on producers.
The California law requires certain cuts of pork sold in the state to come from breeding pigs with at least 24 square feet of space. US Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said state laws that have a significant impact outside their borders are not sustainable.
Hinson has introduced legislation in the past to prevent states from enacting stricter regulations on animal agriculture than federal law requires.
(Rachel Cramer, Iowa Public Radio)
