A coalition of pork companies, retailers and hog farmers gathered in Washington, D.C., to host a Congressional briefing opposing the proposed Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, which they say threatens animal welfare and farming practices, according to a release from Butcher Box.

The group met with lawmakers to highlight the risks the EATS Act poses to farmers, businesses, and consumers. If included in the Farm Bill, the EATS Act would overturn California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’s Question 3, both voter-approved laws that set standards for farm animal welfare.

Coalition members, including stall-free pork producers True Story Foods, Niman Ranch and ButcherBox, were joined by independent hog farmers at the event, where they served stall-free and Proposition 12-certified meats. The group emphasized how their businesses have thrived under these animal welfare laws and warned that the EATS Act would reverse years of progress.

The coalition warned that the EATS Act would economically harm farmers who have invested in upgrading their facilities to comply with Prop. 12 standards.

The coalition includes signatories Whole Foods Market, Perdue Foods, Applegate, Thrive Market and Bon Appetit Management Company.

Coalition of Prop. 12-compliant companies meet in DC

Join for free* to continue reading.