California’s new law, Proposition 12, went into effect on January 1st and will impact pork production nationally. It requires a breeding hog to have at least 24 square feet of space, which is significantly higher than the industry standard.
A California judge has since ruled that Proposition 12 enforcement should be halted for whole pork sales, but the other regulations surrounding veal calves and poultry are still in effect.
Brenda Boetel, Extension specialist and UW-River Falls ag economics chair, says that if a facility doesn’t meet the new requirement, regardless of their location, their pork cannot be sold in California. California consumes about 13 percent of total U.S. pork. She warns the loss of market share could cost producers.
In addition, Boetel gives an update on beef, pork and poultry prices going into 2022. Consumers can expect higher prices for beef and pork and herd sizes shrink.
