Prioritizing passage of a farm bill that fixes Prop 12
Farm profitability is always top of mind for IFB, and at the federal level we are maintaining our focus on getting a farm bill passed this year; securing affordable and available labor; and expanding and improving market access for our products, including through new and existing trade agreements.
Another national priority this year is seeking a full repeal of the disastrous California law, Proposition 12, and seeking a legislative fix, whether in the next farm bill or another piece of legislation, that prevents additional state initiatives that could hurt agricultural production.
Like other livestock producers, I’m troubled that people without animal care experience or expertise can dictate the practices that must be used on livestock farms. And I’m also concerned about Prop 12 serving as a template that could be used to regulate all sectors of agriculture, ultimately driving consolidation in the industry, and limiting the access and affordability of food.
I raised these issues and explained the urgent need to repeal Prop 12 while talking with U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, at the GALC legislative reception. Budzinski, who sits on the House Agriculture Committee, and her staff continue to engage IFB and American Farm Bureau Federation on this issue and understand it is just as much a priority for Illinois agriculture as passing a farm bill is.
Securing passage of the next farm bill, finding a legislative fix for Prop 12 and adopting the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) model for the carbon scoring of biofuels are the top three issues I’ll be advocating for in Capitol Hill meetings I plan to have this week with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield; U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; and other members of the Illinois congressional delegation.
While in D.C. I’ll also attend the AFBF Board of Directors meeting, where I’ll join other directors in getting an update on progress developing legislative language that could be inserted into the farm bill as a policy response to Prop 12.
The stakes for livestock farmers and all producers alike are too high to ignore Prop 12, and that’s why I’ve used my communication channels as IFB president to spotlight this important issue.
Last month I focused the pilot episode of the Taking Stalk with Illinois Farm Bureau podcast on Prop 12, welcoming Chad Leman, my friend, fellow hog farmer and immediate past president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association to the discussion.
We covered the slate of challenges facing producers as they decide to make massive infrastructure investments to comply with California's arbitrary animal welfare standards, which not only violate interstate commerce but could also change with future ballot initiatives.
Processors also face challenges due to uncertain demand and higher costs to trace and segregate products for Prop 12 compliance, while fixed- and low-income consumers are confronting fewer choices for affordable, high-quality protein. In fact, prices for certain pork products in California have risen as much as 41% since Prop 12’s implementation, according to a USDA study.
I further unpacked the problems stemming from Prop 12 and Farm Bureau's response in an op-ed that published in the 2/26 edition of FarmWeek, which you can read here. More information on Prop 12 can also be found at www.ilfb.org/prop12.
Continued collaboration, bipartisan relationships and speaking as the unified voice of Illinois agriculture are all vital to addressing Prop 12 and passing the next farm bill.
Member engagement on these legislative priorities and others will also make the difference in IFB’s ability to secure policy wins that support the economic well-being of our businesses and ensure a healthy future for our farms and communities.
Instrumental to this will be answering the call to complete an action request or to host lawmakers on your farms this planting season, leveraging your relationships and telling your story during tractor rides, tours of livestock barns and meals shared together.
When IFB members speak, legislators listen. The strength of our influence reflects the strength of our policy, and in turn, the strength of the relationships we have with each other in this organization. I’m proud to be a part of it all, and I’m confident we will continue to build IFB’s success, together.