American Meat Producers Association

Background

The deceptively named American Producers Association is a lobbying organization represented by an animal rights lobbyist with a history of working for anti-meat activists. 

Agenda

AMPA supports state laws that prohibit the sale of affordably priced pork and eggs, such as California Prop 12, unless farmers arbitrarily change their production practices. These changes can cost millions of dollars per farm and drive up costs for consumers. One study found the price of pork jumped 20% in California following the passage of Prop 12. 

Lobbying

AMPA is represented by Holly Bice, an animal-rights lobbyist. Bice previously worked for the lobbying arm of the vegan advocacy group Humane Society of the United States as well as Animal Wellness Action, run by an anti-meat fanatic. Bice is also associated with a former spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front, considered a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI. 

Membership

AMPA membership appears to include a handful of companies that produce meat using higher-cost alternative farming methods, meant to supply the premium/luxury market, such as Whole Foods. 

These companies have common ground with animal rights activists in trying to prohibit the sale of regular meat products. Whole Foods-style suppliers use high-cost, alternative farming systems that can’t compete on cost with conventional farms on affordability. For example, one farmer who took part in an AMPA ad campaign sells bacon for $12/pound online–a price double what people could find bacon for at their local grocery store. Their solution? Drive up costs or prohibit their competitors.