Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Stands Against Factory Farm Power Grab

Here’s how everything unfolded: The Humane League, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), and Animal Policy Alliance (APA) member organization Voters for Animal Rights (VFAR) were planning a rally outside Senator Schumer’s New York City office. The date was set for Friday, June 26, 2026. NYC Changemakers—grassroots advocates who show up when animals need them most—were ready to make their voices heard. Their message was clear: New Yorkers are watching, and we want Senator Schumer to stand against legislation that overturns voter-approved protections for animals.

Then something remarkable happened. With mounting pressure and word of the rally spreading, Senator Schumer acted before the rally even took place.

On June 23—three days before advocates were set to gather—he posted a public statement opposing the “Save Our Bacon” Act and vowing to fight its inclusion in the Farm Bill. In a powerful statement on X, Senator Schumer didn't mince words:

“

I OPPOSE the Save Our Bacon Act and any attempt to jam it into the Farm Bill.

This bill would gut state food safety and animal welfare laws, wipe out voter-approved protections, and strip states like NY of the right to set basic standards.

It’s a giveaway to Big Ag and meat monopolies, punishing family farmers who followed the rules, while giving the biggest corporations more power to squeeze farmers and families.

Congress should be lowering food costs, not rewarding the monopolies driving them up. The Save Our Bacon Act does not belong in the Farm Bill, and I will fight to keep it out.”

This happened because of you. Because of us. Because when advocates organize and make it clear they're not going away, elected officials listen.

As the Democratic Leader in the Senate, Senator Schumer’s position sends a clear message to every Democratic senator: oppose the “Save Our Bacon” Act. It gives other key leaders, like Senator Amy Klobuchar (who is the Ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee), the clearance they need to lead opposition during committee negotiations.

For years, the factory farming industry has tried to sneak provisions like the “Save Our Bacon” Act and the “Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression" (EATS) Act into the Farm Bill, hoping no one would notice. They’ve rebranded the same harmful language again and again—from the King Amendment to the EATS Act to Save Our Bacon—always with the same goal: strip states of their power to protect animals, public health, and consumers.

Now, one of the most powerful voices in the Senate has said: not this time.

As Senator Schumer noted, the “Save Our Bacon” Act would:

• Gut state food safety and animal welfare laws across the country
• Wipe out voter-approved protections like California’s Proposition 12 (passed with 63% support) and Massachusetts’ Question 3 (passed with 78% support)
• Strip states of their right to set basic standards for certain agricultural products sold within their borders
• Benefit massive corporations at the expense of family farmers who have already invested billions to meet higher standards

A recent analysis by Harvard Law School’s Brooks McCormick Jr. Animal Law and Policy Program found that over 600 state laws could be overturned if this language passes—including laws dedicated to protecting against current and future threats of New World Screwworm.

Senator Schumer’s statement is a major breakthrough, but the fight isn’t over.

Here’s what you can do right now:

1. Thank Senator Schumer
If you’re on X (formerly Twitter), drop a note on Senator Schumer’s post thanking him for his leadership. You can also leave a message of thanks on his Facebook. Let him know that voters across the country are watching—and we support his opposition to the “Save Our Bacon” Act.

2. Contact Your Senators
Tell your senators to follow Senator Schumer’s lead and oppose any Farm Bill that includes “Save Our Bacon” language or language that would overturn state and local animal protection laws. Make it clear that you’re paying attention.

The factory farming industry has deep pockets and powerful lobbyists. But they don’t have what we have: millions of people who believe that animals deserve better, that voters’ voices should matter, and that states have the right to set basic standards for decency.

Senator Schumer just proved them right. Now let’s keep going.