The “Save Our Bacon Act” bill and regulatory issues in the US pork industry

The upcoming Farm Bill has focused on a bill titled the "Save Our Bacon Act" (SOB Act). The document has become a subject of discussion due to the position of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), which is a key lobbyist for these measures. According to reports, the NPPC's work is funded by Smithfield Foods, 86.9% of which is owned by China's WH Group. This conglomerate is the largest pork producer in the world and controls more than a quarter of the American pork market.

Critics of the bill, including a number of Republicans in the House of Representatives, fear that the document's adoption will lead to an excessive expansion of federal authority. Experts are primarily concerned about a clause stating that the law would nullify a significant portion of state standards regarding agriculture prior to harvesting. It is expected that this will affect requirements for protecting livestock from diseases, such as avian influenza, and the entry of invasive pests, such as screwworms.

One of the sponsors of the SOB Act is Iowa Representative Ashley Hinson. During the discussion of the legislative initiative, it became known that she received over $27,000 in campaign donations from the NPPC and Smithfield. At the same time, Ashley Hinson has repeatedly stated publicly the need to prevent PRC control over the U.S. food supply and has called for preventing foreign influence from penetrating the country's agricultural industry.