Iowa newspaper editorial opposes “Save Our Bacon Act,” calling it political overreach that undermines voters and humane farming progress
WASHINGTON (July 31, 2025)—The Gazette, one of Iowa’s leading newspapers in the heart of America’s pork country, delivered an eye-opening staff editorial today calling the “Save Our Bacon Act” (H.R. 4673) pure politics and urging Congress to respect California voters who approved animal welfare standards.
The editorial—titled “‘Save Our Bacon’ smells like politics”—comes as Iowa Republican leaders, including Sen. Joni Ernst, Sen. Chuck Grassley, Rep. Ashley Hinson and Gov. Kim Reynolds, push federal legislation to override California’s Proposition 12, a landmark animal protection law, which was approved by 63% of voters and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill they support would also nullify the animal welfare laws of more than a dozen other states, red, blue and purple, across the nation.
The Gazette wrote:
“Over and over again, Republicans who run the Statehouse and don’t like decisions made by local leaders passed legislation yanking away local control. Now, Iowa Republican leaders and ag allies want a federal law telling Californians they have no right to pass a state law applying their values to the food they eat. So, we’re not on board with the agricultural status quo, which has given us dirty streams, lakes and rivers. And we’re not willing to condemn the will of California voters, who are not all activists.”
This view from heartland reflects what Humane World Action Fund and others have decried—Big Pork’s attempts to seek a congressional bailout to override farm animal welfare laws after a seemingly never-ending series of court losses.
- “Iowa politicians are obsessed with defending a discredited system of cruel intensive confinement that causes immense animal suffering, one that forward-looking producers, conscientious food service corporations and millions of compassionate Americans have rejected. Instead of acknowledging the success of humane-minded producers in the pork sector, including some of their own constituents in Iowa, and encouraging the nationwide conversion to higher welfare standards, the Iowa delegation and a few allies in Congress are pushing a reckless bill that relies on recycled arguments the courts and past Farm Bills have already repudiated”—Sara Amundson, president, Humane World Action Fund
- Sen. Tom Harkin—“‘Farm protection’ bill is actually about protecting big agribusinesses”
- The Oklahoman—“Pork is one of Oklahoma’s biggest industries. But are companies doing enough for animal welfare?”
- KHQA—“Some pork producers say Prop 12 benefits them despite criticism from Iowa politicians”
- FoodTank—“A young farmer makes the business case for humane hog farming”
- Vox—“Trump’s gift to Big Pork”
- NOTUS—“Democrats say Republicans are overreaching in their effort to overturn a California animal welfare law”
In addition to these published articles, a diverse coalition of more than 6,600 groups and individuals, including over 5,300 farms across the country and over 200 bipartisan Members of Congress, have publicly called for an end to attacks on state and local agricultural laws. These varied supporters of humane farming laws reflect the widely shared public view that animals raised for food should not be kept in cages or crates so tight they can’t turn around. Polling shows 80% of U.S. voters favor a law within their state like Proposition 12, with roughly equal support among Republicans and Democrats, and a vast majority agreeing that states should set standards and laws for goods sold in their state.
Media Contact: Liz Bartolomeo: ebartolomeo@humaneaction.org, 240-472-0475
