WASHINGTON, D.C., April 30, 2026 – More than 60,000 pork producers across the United States are celebrating after the House approved the 2026 Farm Bill in a decisive bipartisan vote.
The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 passed by a margin of 224-200, delivering every policy priority requested by the National Pork Producers Council. Most notably, the legislation includes significant provisions addressing California’s Proposition 12 animal housing regulations.
“Today’s House farm bill passage is a testament to the power of rural America when we stand up for our farms and future generations with a unified voice,” said Rob Brenneman, NPPC president and pork producer from Washington County, Iowa. “We wholeheartedly thank our champions—House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, Rep. Ashley Hinson, and others—for not backing down from the fight for what is right for rural America. He and congressional supporters on both sides of the aisle heard our plea to help America’s pork producers. Now, we look to the Senate to follow suit and pass this farm bill for us and others in agriculture without delay.”
Industry representatives warn that without addressing Proposition 12 in the final legislation, pork producers would face conflicting state regulations on animal housing that disproportionately burden smaller operations, limit veterinary decision-making, drive up food costs, and challenge state authority.
Beyond the California regulation relief, the 2026 Farm Bill addresses numerous other priorities important to pork producers:
The legislation provides funding to transform the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program into a permanent initiative. It also boosts funding for agricultural trade promotion efforts, including the Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program, E. Kika de la Garza Emerging Markets Program, Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops, and Priority Trade Fund.
Additional provisions require the USDA to analyze how changes to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement might impact agriculture and establish an Agricultural Trade Enforcement Task Force to identify and address trade obstacles.
The bill expands the Animal Health Protection Act to enhance animal disease tracking capabilities and allows for new training centers under the Beagle Brigade Act. It also mandates comprehensive documentation of USDA’s capacity to shield producers from substantial financial losses during foreign animal disease outbreaks.
Cost controls are included through caps on administrative expenses for the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, ensuring more funds go toward research. The legislation also directs USDA to develop research on insurance policies protecting pork producers from catastrophic disease-related financial losses.
The National Pork Producers Council and its member producers expressed gratitude to the House Agriculture Committee and full House for advancing this important legislation.
