Why the new Farm Bill cannot save its own bacon
By Easton Martin | March 12, 2026
The House Agriculture Committee recently moved to include a provision in the Farm Bill that effectively overrides state-level animal welfare protections. Known as the “Save Our Bacon Act,” this measure seeks to strike down laws in states like California and Massachusetts that currently prohibit the sale of pork from pigs kept in extreme confinement.
Tucked away on page 744 of a massive 800-page Farm Bill, this provision seeks to nullify state laws that currently prevent the sale of pork from pigs kept in extreme confinement. It essentially forces a race to the bottom by overriding the will of voters who have repeatedly supported more humane farming standards.
The core of this issue centers on gestation crates, which are metal enclosures so narrow that a pregnant sow cannot even turn around for most of her life. These crates cause immense physical and psychological suffering. While the Supreme Court recently upheld the right of states like California and Massachusetts to ban the sale of products from such systems, this new federal provision would effectively void those rulings. It mandates a national standard that favors industrial convenience over the ethical expectations of the American public.
This provision exists primarily because of the intense pressure from pork industry lobbyists. These special interest groups want to protect a status quo that prioritizes high-volume production over animal welfare or state sovereignty. Rather than adapting to a market that increasingly demands better treatment of farm animals, the industry is using its political influence to bypass the public and embed its interests deep within complex legislation.
This is a clear case of special interests trying to slip a controversial agenda past the finish line without a public debate.This is congressional bill pork if I’ve ever seen it.
