Controversial Farm Bill Provision, ‘Save Our Bacon Act,’ Threatens State Animal Welfare Laws, Including California’s

A controversial provision in a latest U.S. Farm Bill has been drawing backlash from animal welfare organizations, as lawmakers move toward a House vote on April 30, 2026.

The debate primarily revolves around Section 12006 of the Farm Bill, also known as the Save Our Bacon Act. The section is a revised version of the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act and nullifies state laws like California’s Proposition 12 and similar state measures to protect animals from extreme confinement, while preventing states from setting production standards for farmed animal products sold in interstate commerce if the standards differed in other states.

If the Farm Bill passes with the Save Our Bacon Act provision, it would also result in millions of farm animals getting caged into extreme confinement, animal welfare groups noted.

If the bill becomes a law, years’ worth of legislative victories for farmed animals at the state level will be harmed, according to Animal Legal Defense Fund, which is opposing the act.

The act could impact other products and sectors than animals considered “covered livestock,” potentially affecting sectors not primarily targeted, the organization said.

The Act will also prevent states from passing meaningful farm animal protections in the future, animal welfare groups said.

The bill is the legislative response of the National Pork Producers Council to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision, which upheld California’s Proposition 12 against a constitutional challenge.

After losing the legal battle at the Supreme Court, industry groups have turned to the Congress for support.

The Farm Bill itself is a wide-ranging package that covers food assistance, crop insurance, conservation programs, and rural development. It is usually renewed every five or six years, providing lawmakers with the opportunity to address agricultural issues, such as animal welfare.

A key turning point occurred this week, when the U.S. House Rules Committee blocked a bipartisan amendment to the Farm Bill, which sought to strike out the Save Our Bacon Act, from proceeding to the House floor.

Proponents of taking out the section from the act said that the Save Our Bacon Act will overturn more than 500 state agriculture laws across the country, affecting small players in the dairy, meat, and seafood industries.

Advocacy groups are making a final push to people, asking them to speak up for animals’ rights.

In a Facebook post, World Animal Protection US urged constituents to call their representatives and oppose the bill.

Characterizing the Farm Bill as a “federal overreach,” the group said such a bill cannot pass.

Reminding people that the margin for the vote is expected to be “razor thin,” World Animal Protection US said one call from every constituent can make a lot of difference.