SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Failure by Congress to approve standard production line speed increases would cost hog prices around $10 per head, according to Bryan Humphries, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). Humphries, who, along with NPPC, had lobbied for an increase in line speeds for years, based the figure on a recent NPPC study.

“We’ve been working on this bill for years and today (February 17) USDA published a proposed rule to make (increased line speeds) permanent,” an ebullient Humphries announced to a large group of pig farmers gathered at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library for the annual meeting of the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA). “This is a big deal. We don’t get wins like this all the time.”

Since a court order took effect on June 30, 2021, production lines have been subject to a maximum line speed of 1,106 head-per-hour, unless an establishment has obtained a regulatory waiver. The proposed United States Department of Agriculture ruling on pork and poultry production line speeds would eliminate limits and allow eligible establishments to operate at speeds “supported by their processes, equipment and food safety performance,” with USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service maintaining full oversight. In addition, Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) included provisions in his Farm Bill framework to make permanent increased line speeds.

According to a USDA news release, their proposal maintains full federal oversight in every establishment and reaffirms the authority of inspectors to slow or stop operations whenever inspection cannot be performed effectively. Comments on the proposal will be accepted by USDA for 60 days following its publication in the Federal Register. 

Following his Feb. 17 presentation, Humphries told Farm World that an increase in line speeds will save pork producers up to $10 per head through increased production. Mirroring his comments in a news release that same day, NPPC President Duane Stateler clarified, “Greater efficiency of increased line speeds provides financial security and more stability for pork producers. Without the (ruling), some pork producers could have incurred an additional loss of nearly $10 a head.” 

While in Springfield, Humphries also addressed definitions of food additives and ultra-processed foods, which the food industry has been awaiting from the government for several months. Around 350 individual state bills have been introduced since January 1 that seek to define the terms in order to ban their inclusion in certain foods per Make America Healthy Again recommendations, according to NPPC’s tracking.  

“There is simply no way to stop all these (bills) and no way to influence all of them. We rely on the science the NPPC has provided and the information that is available out there to educate on the impact of these bills,” said Humphries. “One of the challenges we face is in the state of California, where a bill last summer was going to ban the use of ultra-processed foods in school meals. There was no legal definition of ultra-processed foods, so they had to create their own definition for the bill. We had to hire a lobbyist and educate them on the impact of what they were talking about.”

Resultingly, the California bill was reworded “to a place that was good for us,” Humphries said, adding: “We’re going to have a lot more of these (state bills) in 2026, 2027 and beyond.”

Humphries also touched on NPPC efforts to include language excluding pork producers outside of California from being forced to adhere to Proposition 12 animal confinement laws enacted by the Golden State. “This is about ensuring that we in Illinois can sell products into the state of California. The state should not be able to reach outside their borders and tell you how to raise your pigs to sell into their market. We don’t allow that in other parts of our economy; it’s called the Dormant Commerce Clause and it’s protected under the constitution,” he said. 

The “Save the Bacon” clause within the House Ag Committee’s Farm Bill 2.0, which NPPC endorsed, would invoke the Dormant Commerce Clause to exclude states from having to comply with California’s Prop 12 requirements, according to Humphries. “It is the ultimate protection of state’s rights,” he said. 

New school meal guidelines unveiled by Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins and DHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy present a tremendous opportunity for protein-rich pork to gain a larger market share, Humphries added. “In all the years I’ve been in the pork industry this is the first time that the dietary guideline has come out where the only things folks in this industry are frustrated about is the picture. If you’re mad because this photo of ground pork looks a little red, that’s okay with me because meat is back on the table,” he said. 

Market growth opportunities exist not only through public school meals, but also military and institutional sales, according to the NPPC CEO. 

Humphries also spoke to a “hiccup” Illinois pork producers experienced last year with processing TN visas for farm employees, praising IPPA Executive Director Jennifer Tirey for her call to action leading pig farmers to contact their elected lawmakers over the issue. “As we move forward there will be an ag workforce (section) in the farm bill and we look forward to seeing that. We had a seat at that table and we really appreciate that,” Humphries said.