Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

News from the
National Pork Producers Council
NPPC statement on McDonald’s sow
housing decision
McDonald’s Corp. announced Feb. 13 that it would begin
developing a plan to transition its pork supply away from
farmers who use conventional sow gestation stalls.
The National Pork Producers Council issued a statement in
response to the announcement, saying it’s an opportunity
for the pork industry to respond to its customers.
Farmers and animal care experts know that various types of
housing systems can provide for the well-being of pigs. After
an extensive review of scientific literature, the American
Veterinary Medical Association determined that both
individual sow housing and group housing can provide for
the well-being of sows.
Perhaps most importantly, McDonald’s announcement
reflects the best process for meeting evolving
consumer demands – through the market, not through
government mandates. Pork industry customers have
expressed a desire to see changes in how pigs are raised.
Farmers are responding and modifying their practices
accordingly. That process is effective, it’s efficient and
doesn’t require an act of Congress.
The pork industry supports a free market; it opposes
legislative mandates on farmers pushed by special
interest groups. Farmers are some of the most innovative
and resourceful people in our country. They will
continue to meet the ever-changing needs of customers
and provide consumers with safe, nutritious and
affordable food produced responsibly.
NPPC stands ready to offer its assistance to McDonald’s as it
assesses sow housing.
U.S. pork exports reach new heights in
2011
The U.S. pork industry exported a record amount of
product in 2011, according to data released in February by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. pork industry exported more than $6.1 billion
– about 2.3 million metric tons – of pork last year,
topping the previous record of $4.9 billion exported in
2008. Exports increased by 18 percent in volume and 28
percent by value compared with 2010 pork exports. Japan
again was the No. 1 export market for U.S. pork, with
$1.96 billion. Other top export markets included Mexico,
Canada and China. The record numbers were driven by
strong demand in China, South Korea and Japan.
In the coming year, NPPC will continue to press the Obama
administration to keep export markets open to U.S. pork and
will advocate for the acceptance of new free trade agreements
to expand U.S. pork exports abroad.
NPPC opposes federal ‘farm takeover’ bill
The National Pork Producers Council criticized congressional
legislation introduced Jan. 23 that would prescribe cage
sizes for egg-laying hens, saying it would set a “dangerous
precedent” for allowing the federal government to regulate
on-farm production practices, including animal housing.
The legislation seeks to codify an agreement the Humane
Society of the United States came to with the egg industry.
HSUS agreed to forego trying to pass state ballot initiatives
that would dictate egg production practices and to stop 10
years of litigation against and undercover investigations of the
egg industry in exchange for egg producers nearly doubling
the size of their cages for laying hens. In addition to cage sizes,
the bill, H.R. 3798, includes labeling requirements for eggs
and new air-quality standards for hen houses.
NPPC says the legislation would take away producers’
freedom to operate in ways that are best for their animals,
make it difficult to respond to consumer demands, raise retail
food prices and take away consumer choice, devastate small
and niche producers and, at a time of constrained budgets for
agriculture, redirect valuable resources from enhancing food
safety and maintaining the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture
to regulating on-farm production practices for reasons other
than public and animal health.
NPPC is urging congressional lawmakers to oppose the
“Farm Takeover Bill.”
56 March 2012