I’m a fourth-generation pork producer from McComb, Ohio. My family has been raising pigs since 1874. Today, Stateler Family Farms includes pigs, corn, soybeans and wheat. We’re proud of our family farm, where we prioritize animal care and environmental sustainability and have adapted to meet changing market and regulatory demands.  

In 2018, California passed Proposition 12, a ballot initiative that bans the sale of pork not produced according to the state’s prescriptive and arbitrary production standards. This law, however, goes well beyond California, affecting pork producers across America, regardless of location, size or animal housing style.

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to leave a Prop. 12 fix up to Congress, other states are preparing to pass similar laws — each with its own unique set of requirements. If this trend continues unchecked, pork producers will be forced to navigate a fragmented, conflicting patchwork of regulations across 50 states.  

Even though some farms are compliant with Proposition 12 today, what happens if 10, 20 or 30 other states pass their own housing rules? Will farmers have to make the very costly decision to retrofit barns again and again for every new regulation? That’s not just impractical — it’s unsustainable.  

We already know the economic toll Proposition 12 has taken on consumers’ wallets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found retail pork prices in California have risen an average of 20 percent since enforcement began, with pork loins up as much as 41 percent. That burden falls hardest on lower-income families and working households, especially in communities where pork is a cultural and economic staple.

But price inflation is just one part of the story. Proposition 12 also sets a precedent that undermines the foundation of interstate commerce. It allows a single state to dictate how food is produced across the country — even when that food originates outside its borders.  

While large farms might have the capital to absorb changes required by Proposition 12, smaller and independent producers often do not. That means fewer family farms and reduced competition across the pork industry. Rural and farming communities feel the loss most acutely.

The Supreme Court made clear that the authority to address these consequences lies with Congress. Many have recognized the urgency, including the introduction of the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, which would prohibit states from imposing a standard or condition on the pre-harvest production of any agricultural products sold or offered for sale if produced elsewhere.

This is not about resisting change. It’s about ensuring that changes are practical, science-driven and developed in partnership with farmers, veterinarians and animal welfare experts. It’s about protecting the ability of farmers to care for their animals and pass their operations down to future generations.

It’s about protecting consumers from unnecessary costs at the grocery store.

And it’s about preserving the integrity of our national food system.

For more than 150 years, my family has worked to feed our neighbors, our state and our country. We have faced droughts, market swings and disease threats. But even for multi-generation family farms like mine, the threat of 50 different versions of Proposition 12 is something we cannot out-build or out-budget.

The future of American pork production depends on Congress reining in state efforts at extraterritorial regulation. It’s time to fix Proposition 12.

Duane Stateler is a fourth-generation pork producer from McComb, Ohio.