In this episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan are joined by Matthew Dominguez, U.S. Director for Compassion in World Farming, for an urgent deep-dive into the Save Our Bacon (SOB) Act — dangerous preemption language hidden inside the Farm Bill that could strip states of their right to pass and enforce farm animal protection laws, wiping out decades of hard-won legislative progress. Save Our Bacon Act / EATS Act explained: The factory farming industry has embedded roughly 100 words into the Farm Bill that would federally preempt state-level animal welfare and food safety laws — including cage-free and gestation-crate bans in California, Massachusetts, and beyond. Call your senators now: The Senate Ag Committee is drafting its version of the Farm Bill with a target vote by end of May; call the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask to speak to your senator’s office, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask your senators to oppose any Farm Bill containing Save Our Bacon Act language. Broader implications: Harvard Law’s Animal Law Program identified up to 1,000 state laws — covering food safety, environmental protection, and consumer rights — that could be nullified if this preemption language passes. Bipartisan opposition and a growing coalition: Family farmers, food safety advocates, and even the MAHA movement are joining animal protection groups in fighting the bill, with Republicans and Democrats alike opposing the language. Incremental reform vs. abolition: Matthew addresses the debate over whether cage-free progress is meaningful, arguing that incremental wins — such as removing 140–150 million birds from barren battery cages — build the momentum needed for deeper systemic change. RESOURCES Save Our Bacon Act on Congress.gov Compassion in World Farming  We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.