At Podunk’s Ranch, in Southwest Colorado, family tradition and a sincere commitment to sustainability stand at the heart of everything we do. A woman-owned farm, we are dedicated and responsible stewards of the land, following sound grazing principles, ensuring high animal welfare standards and implementing sustainable farming practices. This is the fundamental basis on which we deliver high-quality beef; our entire operation is informed by a deep respect for the land and animals that sustain us. This approach has helped us build a loyal network of customers who trust us to put responsibly sourced products on their dinner tables.
However, the values that shape and guide our farming practices are now under threat by a dangerous measure called the Save Our Bacon Act. This proposal seeks to dismantle critical, voter-approved animal welfare laws across the country, including California’s Proposition 12. Passed by voters in 2018 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023, Proposition 12 establishes reasonable standards to ensure the humane treatment of farm animals.
In Colorado, we have our own laws concerning the confinement of pigs, calves and egg-laying hens. These measures reflect a growing consensus that the intensive confinement of farm animals is unacceptable on animal welfare and public health grounds. In fact, a recent survey by the Animal-Human Policy Center at Colorado State University found that more than 80% of Americans support measures to end confinement practices.
The House voted on the Save Our Bacon Act (included in the House Farm Bill as Section 12006) on April 30 of this year, passing the bill 224-200. We’re disappointed that Rep. Jeff Hurd voted for it as part of the Farm Bill package. We hope he and other members of Congress realize that the Save Our Bacon Act is too controversial and will jeopardize passage of a final Farm Bill.
The act is intended to gut state-level animal welfare protections passed in states – red, blue and purple – nationwide. It would shift the power to regulate agricultural policy from state and local authorities to large agribusiness concerns, whose primary focus is profit and many of which are foreign-controlled. It would have such sweeping impacts that it could even prohibit states from protecting livestock from screwworm.
How is it just or fair to prioritize corporate interests, domestic or foreign, over the will of American voters who have enacted laws promoting sustainable agriculture and animal welfare as a matter of strong public interest? Voter-driven initiatives give citizens a voice in food production, and that’s as it should be. It is imperative that their voices be heard and respected.
It’s more important than ever that members of Congress accept their moral and political responsibility to safeguard the will of voters, support family farms and defend the rights of states to set appropriate agricultural policies responsive to the needs of individual communities. The Senate’s draft Farm Bill, released in June, wisely left the provision out – but it could still be added back on the floor, which is why we urge Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper to reject the Save Our Bacon Act, and anything like it, and keep it out of the Farm Bill. This reckless measure will have widespread ramifications if enacted, and simply put, none of us can afford it.
Now is a critical moment, and we call on members of Congress to consider the priorities of the American people and act in defense of family farms, voters and consumers. We are hopeful that they will make the right choice and protect the values that sustain our farms and our communities.
Lanea Donahoo owns and operates Podunk's Ranch near Cortez, where she raises grass-fed beef using sustainable grazing practices.
