NPPC Concentrates on Lobbying

July 5, 2001

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), following the separation as mandated by the settlement agreement between USDA and pork producers, will concentrate on a legislative and regulatory agenda that includes trade policy, the environment, food safety, animal health, biosecurity issues and the upcoming farm bill debate.

"Pork producers continue to set policy for the National Pork Producers Council which now will focus on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the economic viability of pork producers and the pork industry," said NPPC President Barb Determan, a pork producer from Early, IA.

Determan stressed that NPPC will play a role in advancing the cause of free trade and specifically, market access for pork producers. She added that NPPC also will work with government agencies to ensure that new environmental regulations affecting livestock facilities, commonly known as AFO-CAFO regulations, are affordable, achievable, sustainable and are based on sound science.

"Pork producers will continue to work aggressively with the U.S. government to open new markets for U.S. pork and thereby help ensure a brighter future for our producers," Determan said. "Pork exports have doubled since 1994, but there are still many countries that deny U.S. pork imports through high tariffs or non tariff barriers. We also want to ensure that EPA's new permitting regulations for pork facilities are fair and equitable for producers of all types and sizes. Pork producers have a long and distinguished record of proactively working to improve our environmental performance, but no one should be driven out of business by costs associated with new regulations."

As part of the transition and separation required by the settlement agreement reached between USDA and pork producers in February, NPPC's general contractor agreement with the National Pork Board has ended. NPPC will continue working closely with its members – the 44 state pork producer associations.

During the last joint National Pork Industry Forum in March, delegates voted to create a task force to create the future structure of the National Pork Producers Council. The Task Force has met and continues to move forward with the restructuring of NPPC as required by the delegates.