Green Activists and Hog Farmers Bite Nails Over Bill: Farm Brief

I trekked out to Iowa over the weekend, a few days after the rest of the D.C. press corps — not for the state fair’s annual political glad-handing, but to spend time with hog farmers and environmental activists ahead of the impending farm bill reauthorization.

Pork is a point of state pride for Iowans. After all, the state produces almost a third of US hogs. Naturally, not all farmers do things the same way.

For Niman Ranch, a Colorado-based food company, sustainability is a critical part of pork production. Niman’s network of farmers and ranchers raises meat using pretty strict ...