DES MOINES, IA – On July 23, 2025, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, alongside seven other governors, sent a joint letter to congressional leadership advocating for the Save Our Bacon Act. The proposed legislation aims to counter California’s Proposition 12, a regulation the governors deem unconstitutional for imposing restrictive and arbitrary standards on pork producers nationwide. The letter underscores the need to protect state autonomy in agricultural production and prevent overreach from states like California, which seek to regulate farming practices beyond their borders.

The Save Our Bacon Act addresses Proposition 12, a California law that sets strict requirements for livestock housing, including specific space mandates for pigs, despite the state having virtually no hog production. The letter, co-signed by governors from pork-producing states, emphasizes that such regulations disrupt interstate commerce, raise costs for both producers and consumers, and undermine decades of science-based, sustainable farming practices.

“For decades, our livestock producers have implemented science-based practices and adopted production technologies that have allowed our nation’s food supply to be one of the safest and most sustainable in the world,” the letter states. It highlights that while California accounts for 15% of the national pork market, nearly 100% of the nation’s sow population is raised outside the state. Proposition 12’s mandates, described as “unnecessary and unscientific,” increase pork prices for California consumers and impose financial burdens on producers in states like Iowa, the nation’s leading pork producer.

The governors argue that while consumer choice and market-driven changes in farming practices should be respected, one state should not dictate production standards for others. “We support the right of each state to lawfully regulate livestock production within their own borders,” the letter asserts. “But when one state decides to regulate another, federal legislation is appropriate and necessary.”

The Save Our Bacon Act would prohibit state and local governments from imposing regulations on agricultural production in other states, ensuring that farmers can operate under their own state’s laws without external interference. Governor Reynolds and her counterparts urge Congress to pass the bill to safeguard the nation’s pork industry, protect affordable protein supplies, and preserve the integrity of interstate commerce.

For more information on the Save Our Bacon Act or the governors’ letter, contact the Office of Governor Kim Reynolds or visit the official congressional website for legislative updates.