My crystal ball is in the shop, but I’m confident these are some of the issues that are going to be part of the ag policy discussion in the next year.
AFRICAN SWINE FEVER
One of the wild cards for 2022 is whether we will identify a positive case of African Swine Fever within our borders and how we will react to it. As of press time, USDA has not announced a framework to regionalize our hog production and processing system. If this remains the case, one positive result in Maine would likely result in the loss of our export markets for pork.
The arrival of African Swine Fever will have devastating effects for the U.S. pork market, and it would reverberate across numerous industries.
MIDTERM ELECTION
Although Congress has been busy in the past two years with COVID-19-related legislation, infrastructure and the Biden administration’s spending priorities, I do not anticipate many big legislative moves in 2022 after Congress either passes or rejects the “Build Back Better” framework. Members will be focused on campaigning.
There’s no way to project political outcomes with certainty, but if current trends prevail, it’s likely Republicans will retake the House of Representatives and stand a good chance of retaking the Senate. Which brings us to ...
2023 FARM BILL
The next farm bill is up in 2023. The results of the midterms will determine who will be at the reins when negotiations ramp up. Many farm groups have already begun discussions with legislators on their priorities for the next farm bill and discussions will ramp up next year.
Although farm bills are traditionally a relatively bipartisan matter, the party in control will be in a position to push their priorities. Congress has pushed out a lot of relief money and infrastructure investments over the past couple years. They might lose their appetite for big spending.
PROPOSITION 12 IMPLEMENTATION
As if hog farmers don’t have enough to worry about, California’s Proposition 12 regulations take effect on Jan. 1. This law will restrict the sale of many pork products in California to operations that meet California’s animal welfare standards.
A month out from the enforcement date, California’s Department of Food and Agriculture has still not released its final regulations to implement the law. I expect we’ll see some disorder as farming operations and pork processors work to adapt to a segregated supply chain for pork.
It’s my sincere wish that you have a healthy, safe and productive 2022. Happy New Year!
