How China got caught in the crossfire of a US bacon fight

In the summer of 2023, a peculiar political advertisement began airing in Midwestern America, linking China to the contentious "Save Our Bacon Act." The ad depicted the Chinese flag and President Xi Jinping, questioning which side political senators were on – America or China. This surprising alliance seemed to promote a Republican-backed farm bill, but the situation was far more intricate.

The Save Our Bacon Act was born from California's Proposition 12, a 2018 voter-approved measure that set minimum space requirements for breeding pigs and banned the sale of pork from animals raised below those standards. This law prompted producers across the nation to either modify their operations or lose access to a major market. The US Supreme Court affirmed the measure in 2023, raising questions about its impact on pork prices.

Pork producers argued that retrofitting facilities to meet Proposition 12 requirements could cost as much as $4,000 per sow, which could disproportionately affect smaller family farms. In response, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Iowa introduced the Save Our Bacon Act, which aimed to overturn Proposition 12's requirements for pork sold in California. Hinson claimed the bill would protect interstate commerce for Iowa livestock producers while preserving states' rights to regulate their own producers.

Opponents, primarily the American Meat Producers Association (AMPA), launched a national campaign against the bill. Led by Holly Bice, a government relations professional, the group accused the legislation of benefiting Chinese corporations, specifically Smithfield Foods – America's largest pork producer. WH Group, formerly Shuanghui International, acquired Smithfield in 2013.

Ray Atkinson, Smithfield's spokesperson, maintained that animal-welfare standards should be based on science and veterinary expertise, not voter initiatives. He argued that the Save Our Bacon Act would prevent states from creating a patchwork of livestock production practices, making food more expensive for Americans. The National Pork Producers Council, another strong supporter of the Save Our Bacon Act, dismissed AMPA's claims as baseless, stating that the group's arguments were motivated by an activist agenda.

The Save Our Bacon Act's involvement of China in the US political arena marks a new chapter in the clash over animal welfare, agricultural regulation, and America's growing anxiety towards China.