0
California's Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, requires that livestock animals in confinement be housed under specific standards in regards to freedom of movement and minimum floor space.
For pigs, this means that breeding sows must be able to lie down, stand up, fully extend its limbs, and turning around freely. Starting January 1, 2022, 24 square feet of floor space per breeding sow is also required.
Proposition 12 will also affect the sale of pork in California. It bans the sale of uncooked pork in the state that comes from animals kept in conditions outside of the standards laid out. The pork also cannot be from the immediate offspring of a sow who was confined in said conditions, regardless of if the animals were raised in California or in a different state.
According to the National Pork Producer's Council (NPPC), less than one percent of U.S. pork production currently meets Proposition 12 requirements, while California represents 15% of the U.S. pork market.
The proposition is expected to have effects on the economy. Concerns have been expressed by industry organizations that Prop 12 will raise consumer prices of pork as well as imply a financial burden for farmers to renovate or expand their current facilities to comply with the new floor space requirements. Since so few farms currently comply with the standards, a pork deficit is expected in California with a surplus in other states.
July 1, 2021 - 333 Staff
