Ag leaders testify at subcommittee hearing
On March 4, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) delivered the opening statement at the first hearing of the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee in the 119th Congress.
Thompson states, “The timing of this hearing is critical. Our producers are dealing with a historic highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak, harmful state mandates like Proposition 12 (Prop 12) and difficult market conditions, among a slew of other issues.”
During the hearing, experts discussed effective strategies to address these issues and provided a comprehensive overview of current on-the-ground conditions.
Testifying before the committee and offering an honest evaluation of what is and isn’t working were representatives from the National Turkey Federation (NTF), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), United Egg Producers, American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), Montana Farmers Union (MFU) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
NTF testimony
Providing testimony from the NTF was second-generation Minnesota Turkey Producer and NTF Past President John Zimmerman.
Zimmerman states, “While the turkey industry faces many challenges, my testimony will focus on the impacts of HPAI, as well as another highly consequential respiratory virus – avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) – which has impacted between 60 to 80 percent of turkey flocks nationwide.
As of Feb. 27, 465 commercial turkey operations nationwide have tested positive for HPAI, resulting in the loss of more than 18.7 million turkeys.
“I cannot overstate the impact of these two viral animal diseases which have killed millions of turkeys nationwide,” he adds. “Banks are very concerned about farms’ financial health, and some farmers struggle to obtain credit after losing 30 to 50 percent of their flocks to aMPV.”
According to Zimmerman, the first doses of an imported aMPV modified-live vaccine arrived at Minnesota farms, but more shipments are on the way to support farmers across the nation.
“I also want to thank U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically those at the Center for Veterinary Biologics, for their efforts getting this across the finish line. We are hopeful this new tool will ensure many more turkeys make it to market and put us on the path to control the virus,” Zimmerman states. “However, I also think it’s important to acknowledge the industry’s frustrations with USDA’s review process of an imported modified-live vaccine.”
NTF supports research aimed at developing an effective vaccine for HPAI and improving both vaccine and diagnostic technologies, but strongly urges USDA to renegotiate with key trading partners to reduce the potential implications of vaccine deployment.
Zimmerman concludes, “The turkey industry faces numerous challenges, with the most urgent threat directly at our doorstep. Without a new approach to these critical diseases, we risk facing the same crisis next year – more dead birds, more trade restrictions and continued frustration over the lack of progress.”
NPPC concerns
NPPC President Lori Stevermer testifies, “On top of concerns about strained markets and profitability, pork producers are experiencing impacts from state regulation in California which has created nonsensical outcomes.”
According to NPPC, Prop 12 is negatively impacting family farmers and consumers nationwide, as the proposition requires pork producers to adhere to one state’s arbitrary production standards, which limits market access, encourages consolidation and ultimately results in higher prices for pork.
“Created through an arbitrary state referendum in 2018, this extreme overregulation does not equate to better health or welfare for pigs,” she adds. “In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association wrote to this committee, ‘The arbitrary housing requirements in Prop 12 do not objectively improve animal welfare and may unintentionally cause harm.’”
A report from USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist in 2024 discovered, after the implementation of Prop 12, prices for covered pork products in California rose by an average of 20 percent, with pork loins seeing increases as high as 41 percent.
Stevermer states, “The Supreme Court was clear, Congress must act to address this issue for agriculture. We cannot continue to have states set arbitrary standards on production in other states, and we look forward to assisting in efforts to address this issue.”
Labor issues
ASI Executive Board Region Three Chair Larry Hopkins testified before the committee on labor issues affecting the industry.
“One-third of America’s sheep herd is under the watch of an H-2A sheepherder. Mandatory and unnecessary overtime payments required by certain states and the mandated salary increase forced on sheep producers by the Department of Labor’s use of the adverse effect wage rate methodology are literally driving ranchers out of the business,” he states.
According to recent studies, over the past eight years costs associated with salaries, program fees, food and housing for sheepherders have dramatically increased, all of which are covered by sheep ranchers.
This surge in expenses, along with the costs of food, clothing, application and visa fees for sheepherders, has reached an unsustainable level.
He mentions, “Research conducted by the Wyoming Wool Growers Association indicates the rising salaries and fees for H-2A workers have become unmanageable for sheep production in Wyoming, the third-largest sheep producing state in the country.”
Resilient food system
MFU President Walter Schweitzer testified on the behalf of MFU and the National Farmers Union.
“I believe we must build a more resilient food system,” he states. “A more resilient food system is one that is more diverse than the one we have today, with additional local and regional production, markets and infrastructure.”
Schweitzer highlighted the significant disruptions in the supply chain caused by COVID-19 and their profound effects on both consumers and producers.
He adds, “We can prevent this from happening again by making good policy decisions. especially if we consider the food system was not always this fragile.”
He goes on to describe family-owned stores in rural communities used to have local produce on their shelves, now local food has to be shipped thousands of miles away to be processed, packaged and shipped back to large corporate grocery stores.
“This is not a resilient food supply, and our food security is at risk because we have lost the local food processing facilities providing good-paying jobs in our communities,” he states.
USDA recently increased support for businesses and communities looking to invest in expanded meat and poultry processing, and Congress introduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act in the last session.
Schweitzer concludes, “We expect this legislation to be reintroduced very soon. USDA’s investments are critical, and we must ensure these new facilities are able to operate sustainably and thrive over the long term.”
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
