WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a sweeping rebuke of federal attempts to weaken state-level animal welfare protections, 182 House Democrats have signed a letter opposing the Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act, warning that the legislation would “usurp the longstanding power of states” and undermine existing animal confinement regulations.
According to a press release from Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, the letter was led by Reps. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.). They argue that the SOB Act poses a direct threat to “states’ rights, American agricultural sovereignty, and animal welfare.”
Nearly 90 percent of Democrats signed the letter, making it “one of the biggest one-party sign-on letters in the 119th Congress.” Lawmakers noted that “we need not agree with every law or rule adopted by each state to adhere to this core principle of federalism,” adding that Congress should not override “highly popular farm animal welfare laws.”
The letter, addressed to House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson and Ranking Member Angie Craig, urges lawmakers to “reject the inclusion of this provision in any form in any legislative vehicle.” It also reflects growing bipartisan hesitation. In September, Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) led a bipartisan letter asserting Congress should not interfere with voter-approved agricultural protections. Thirteen Republicans have now joined that position, according to the release.
Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, stated that multiple letters reflect “overwhelming opposition to the idea of Congress tampering with highly popular farm animal welfare laws.”
Pacelle, who has played a central role in advancing animal protection ballot measures nationwide, has strongly argued against confining animals in restrictive conditions, stating, “Animals built to move should be allowed to move, and a small number of lawmakers in the hold of a pork-industry trade association should not override the votes of millions of Americans.”
In his essay, Pacelle wrote that the National Pork Producers Council is now facing “massive defections within its ranks” following its 15-year campaign to overturn Prop 12 and similar laws. He emphasized that companies once opposed to California’s law are now producing Proposition 12–compliant pork, confirming that “the industry can absolutely meet these standards.”
Seaboard Foods is listed among the companies now providing compliant pork products and has reported higher profits due to “higher margins on pork products.” Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King similarly stated that the company can “align suppliers, and we can certainly provide the raw material to service our customers in that way.”
According to the release, Triumph Foods, described as having “led multiple lawsuits” against Proposition 12, continues to sell pork in California following a unanimous First Circuit ruling upholding Massachusetts’ Question 3.
Pacelle warned that the SOB Act represents a “frontal attack on U.S. elections and an invitation for China to expand its unprecedented level of control over domestic pig production.” He said animal advocates and farmers agree that “this policy would be a disaster for food security and animal welfare.”
Legally, Proposition 12 remains settled. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law a “proper exercise of state authority,” rejecting major challenges brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Under Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3, states now require gestation crate–free pork for whole cuts sold within their borders, covering roughly six percent of total U.S. pork production.
The organization highlighted its July report, Rebranded EATS Act Eliminates Nation’s Most Important Farm Animal Welfare Laws, which outlines “seven core findings undercutting the arguments of proponents.”
The report concludes that the SOB Act would “eliminate the nation’s most important farm animal welfare laws” while stripping states of their ability to regulate food products to prevent cruelty.
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