by Jessie Smith
This op-ed was written several months ago when we still had an opportunity of passing a new Farm Bill before the end of 2024. Although we have had to settle on a one year extension, we are happy to say that the provisions that would invalidate Proposition 12 and similar laws are no longer in the bill. However, the acrobatic display surrounding the continuing resolution to fund the government, brought a different blow to the organic industry that we would like to alert you of, namely the loss of funding for key organic programs in the Farm Bill extension. These ‘orphan programs’ (programs without permanent funding) include the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, the Organic Data Initiative, and the Organic Certification Trade and Tracking Program. Succinctly summed up by Mike Lavender of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, “these programs have small price tags but big impacts across all fifty states.” The loss of funding for these programs can have serious and far reaching consequences for the industry. So, what happens next? We advocate for the inclusion of these programs in the next Farm Bill, which will start in 2025. Now it is a time for rest, which is often the feeling of this season of family and gathering, and as you enjoy a break from the everyday and moments shared with loved ones remember the new year will bring new projects but we are stronger together as we work to promote organic agriculture and the development and support of food systems that revitalize and sustain local communities.
Op-ed (Previously published in the Detroit Free Press)
As members of the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA), we believe strongly in the power of farmers and consumers to shape the food systems that sustain us. Since our founding, we have worked tirelessly to promote organic agriculture and its crucial role in ensuring the health and vitality of Michigan’s economy and communities. Unfortunately, however, we now face a grave threat to these fundamental principles—a threat driven by a small faction of industrial pork producers who are lobbying Congress to undermine the will of voters and dismantle critical animal welfare and food safety standards.
Time and time again, in recent years, voters across the country have made their voices and their wishes heard on the critical connections between animal welfare and public health. Laws like Massachusetts’ Question 3 and California’s Proposition 12, which set standards for the humane treatment of farm animals and healthier and safer foods in state marketplaces, were enacted with great popular support, including by voter referendum in several instances. These laws represent the collective will of American citizens, expressing a clear desire for higher standards in how animals are treated and how food is produced.
Yet, despite this clear mandate, lobbyists representing a narrow sliver of the pork industry are pushing to undermine Proposition 12 and laws like it—with a backroom “fix” that runs counter to the core principles of American democracy. The current Farm Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives contains menacing language that seeks to invalidate Proposition 12 and similar laws, and the impact of this provision would extend far beyond Proposition 12, threatening to wipe out hundreds of other state laws. These laws not only relate to animal welfare and the regulation of animal products but also involve states’ abilities to regulate the sale of products within their own borders, set standards for disease and quarantine control, manage toxic materials, and much more.
The Farm Bill being championed by Rep. GT Thompson (Pa.) undermines the ability of states to set their own regulations to protect their citizens and environments. Such an overreach could set a dangerous precedent, stripping states of their rights and handing more power to corporate agriculture interests. It’s a reckless maneuver that panders to a backwards-looking segment of the pork industry that’s already lost the battle of public opinion in the consumer marketplace and doesn’t deserve the protection of Congress.
We are grateful to Senator Debbie Stabenow for her leadership in ensuring that the Senate version of the Farm Bill does not include provisions that would undo state animal welfare and agriculture laws. However, the fight is far from over. As the Farm Bill moves toward finalization, it is imperative that all members of Congress stand firm against this undemocratic assault on voter and state rights.
We call on Members of Congress to ensure that language like the “Prop 12 fix” is not included in the final Farm Bill that passes. Let us not allow a small group of industries pushing factory-farmed pork to dictate the terms of our food and agricultural policies. The will of the people should prevail.
