Brownfield Ag News | Two sides of Prop 12

Congress continues to contemplate federal legislation that would address California’s Proposition 12.

Joe Maxwell, president of the political action group Farm Action Fund, says eliminating the measure would be detrimental to the nation’s independent hog farmers because it has created a vital market opportunity.

“We’re raising our hogs without crates. That’s what Californians want.”  He says, “We’ve changed our practices. It’s paying us a premium and keeping our farms going, and we want Congress to not pick winners and losers.”

Duane Statler, president of the National Pork Producers Council, says the livestock confinement law could open the door to a patchwork of state regulations.

“We knew there would be producers that would want to fill that niche, but to mandate it upon everybody, that’s where we feel as though it’s an infringement,” he says.

Maxwell tells Brownfield that states have the right to govern their food systems.

“For over a year now, heading into two years, Proposition 12 has been in effect, and none of that chaos they talked about happened.”  He says, “Rather, farmers changed their practices and are shipping hogs to meet that demand.”

Stateler says research shows Prop 12 has also raised prices for consumers across California.

“Prices are up 20% on average, and some of the costs are up 30 to 40% on particular cuts, especially pork loins,” he says.

Lawmakers in Congress are considering the Food Security and Farm Protection Act and the Save Our Bacon Act, which would both prevent states from creating different standards for livestock production if those products are sold in interstate commerce, as part of the ongoing farm bill discussions.