SACRAMENTO – The State of California plans to delay compliance with its Prop 12 law until Dec. 31, allowing the pork industry more time to determine how to handle the new implementation of the law.
A Sacramento County judge decided to block enforcement of Prop 12, which was scheduled to start on July 1. The California Department of Food and Agriculture already stated that any pork product produced before the July 1 deadline would be grandfathered into the law and recognized that the remainder of 2023 would be a transition period.
“It is welcome news to America’s pig farmers and consumers that California recognized the challenging situation the July 1 Proposition 12 implementation date will have on our industry and food supply,” said Bryan Humphreys, chief executive officer of the National Pork Producers Council. “Granting six months of additional relief for products in the supply chain allows grocery stores to remain stocked so the 40 million Californians have uninterrupted access to affordable, safe and nutritious pork products, especially with rising food prices.”
In the court documents, Judge James Arguelles explained that there would not be another delay of the Prop 12 law.
“We appreciate Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture for their efforts over the past month to find a solution to achieve a smoother transition for the entire pork value chain, including our foreign trading partners,” Humphreys added.
During May, the US Supreme Court ruled against the NPPC and the American Farm Bureau Federation, which challenged the measure.
Under Prop 12, producers of veal calves are required to house animals with at least 43 square feet of usable floor space per calf. Producers of sows are required to provide a minimum of 24 square feet of usable space per animal to comply with the law and laying hens are required to be raised cage-free.
A group of Republican senators recently introduced proposed legislation to counteract the California law. Republican governors sent a letter to Congress calling for a passage of a new bill regarding Prop 12.