WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Pennsylvania hog farmer Brent Hershey will join more than 200 farmers from over 30 states in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, October 8th to oppose the highly contentious Save Our Bacon Act and Food Security and Farm Protection Act (formerly the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act (EATS) Act) — legislation that would put family farmers out of business and end responsible farming practices.
Hershey, who was recently featured in CBS News’s coverage of the debate over California’s Proposition 12, will speak at a 2 p.m. press conference at the National Press Club alongside farmers, meat producers, and meat retailers from across the country.
The event will highlight the importance of Prop. 12 and Massachusetts’s Question 3, voter-approved laws that set basic animal welfare standards and create fairer markets for responsible farmers.
The farmers and meat companies will meet with members of Congress to emphasize the significant risks the proposed legislation, which would repeal Prop. 12 and Question 3, poses to farmers, businesses, and consumers.
A gestation crate containing a realistic “pig” will also be on display to demonstrate the controversial practice — banned in red and blue states alike — that some in the pork industry are attempting to legalize again.
On October 9th, tractors and pick-up trucks will circle the Capitol area with large American flags and banners.
For thousands of family farmers, laws like Proposition 12 and Question 3 are a lifeline. If Congress wipes out these humane farming standards, it would devastate family farmers who have invested in crate-free systems while stripping states’ ability to pass their own agricultural laws.
“My farm is Prop. 12-certified, and it’s never operated better. Prop. 12’s standards made our farm more resilient,” said Brent Hershey, President of Hershey Ag. “Healthier animals mean fewer losses and better productivity, and Prop. 12 provides a market that actually rewards the hard work we put in.”
Upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023, Proposition 12 sets minimum space requirements for pigs, hens, and calves, ensuring animals have room to stand, turn around, and extend their limbs. Already, an estimated 27 percent of U.S. pork producers have made or are working to make investments to access California’s Proposition 12 market.
In addition to robust farmer adoption of Prop. 12 standards, numerous leading meat companies have announced support of the crate-free law, including Perdue Farms and its pork brands Niman Ranch and Coleman All Natural Meats, True Story Foods, and ButcherBox, the direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand.
Public opinion strongly favors these reforms. Nearly seven in ten Americans oppose the use of gestation crates, with only 8 percent in support. The California and Massachusetts laws both passed overwhelmingly at the ballot box with 63 percent and 78 percent approval, respectively.
Interviews with Brent Hershey and other participating farmers are available at the event or via Zoom at any time.
Media contact:
Holly Bice | media@meatproducers.org
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SOURCE Responsible Meat Coalition
