House Agriculture hearing: lawmakers hear costs, legal confusion from Proposition 12; chairman pushes federal fix

The House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing to examine the implications of California's Proposition 12 and to consider federal responses, with Chairman Thompson saying Congress can and must act to address burdens on interstate commerce. Lawmakers heard testimony from pork producers, industry economists, legal experts and restaurant representatives who gave competing assessments of economic, trade and animal-welfare effects.

Chairman Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture, opened the hearing by saying, "I disagree with the court's decision to uphold Prop 12, but I do agree that Congress can and must act to rectify the burdens of Prop 12 as imposed on interstate commerce." He told witnesses he introduced Section 12,007 in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 to limit states from imposing production conditions on livestock raised outside their borders.

The nut of the hearing was economic impact: producers and industry groups told the committee Prop 12 raises production costs, forces difficult capital decisions and risks further consolidation in the pork industry, while a restaurant trade group said higher retail prices have already reduced access to culturally important foods. Pat Hoard, vice president of the National…