Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Governor Kim Reynolds and seven other Republican governors are backing federal legislation to override rules requiring that pork sold in California come from hogs raised in pens large enough that the pigs can move around. The governors say one state should not be able to regulate livestock production in another state. The bill, introduced by Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion, is called the Save Our Bacon Act. It says pork producers must be able to sell their products across state lines and only need to comply with farming regulations in their own state. Hinson introduced a broader bill in 2021.
Her comments — and the previous bill — came before the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld California’s law. Earlier this year the court rejected a request for a rehearing of the case. Iowa is the nation’s largest pork producer. Californians buy about 13 percent of all the pork sold in the US. Voters in California — and more recently in Massachusetts — have approved ballot measures to require more space for pigs as well as egg-laying hens. The “Save Our Bacon Act” that Hinson has introduced this week does not apply to the poultry industry.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds — KIWA Staff Photo
