At a U.S. House Appropriations Committee hearing on the U.S. Department of Agriculture budget, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins weighed in on California Proposition 12 and similar laws that affect livestock production.
In response to a question from Committee member Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Rollins told the panel that “when a state like California or other states passes laws that have significant impact outside their state border then that is not sustainable. Specific to Prop 12, we have understood that, we see it, [and] I think it’s pretty bipartisan … that, that is just not sustainable.
“Having a federal approach to that, ensuring that we’re protecting our pork producers, especially, some of the other livestock producers underneath the regime of Prop. 12 is important.”
Rollins agreed with Hinson that a patchwork of laws similar to Prop. 12 and other government regulations could put small farmers out of business. She said USDA “already has begun the deregulation” of federal policies.
