Pork Producers One Step Closer to Certainty as Bipartisan Solution for Prop. 12 Clears 

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is pleased to announce the U.S. House Agriculture Committee has passed their 2024 Farm Bill, which supported all of producer’s farm bill requests, including a federal fix to the host of Prop. 12 issues plaguing producers and consumers.

“The 2024 Farm Bill is a golden opportunity to address a top issue for pork producers across the country – California Prop. 12 – and I’m pleased to see the U.S. House Agriculture Committee seize the opportunity to stop a potential

NPPC, Farm Bureau Lead Nearly 1,000 in Coalition to Urge Congressional Fix to California Prop. 12

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined forces with the American Farm Bureau Federation to garner support from 900+ agricultural stakeholders supporting the federal fix to California Prop. 12 to be included in the 2024 Farm Bill.

Laying out robust arguments in a letter to U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) on Prop. 12’s damaging implications, the coalition highlighted the following:

Marketplace mayhem: S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack warned the...

ANALYSIS: Impacts of Prop 12 Shape Memorial Day Outlook for Pork Ribs, Bacon and Butts

Memorial Day is traditionally celebrated as one of the major pork holidays each year. Ribs, bacon, and butts are all beloved staples of this popular weekend that marks the official start of summer. However, this year presents a unique situation due to rebounding cold storage levels post prop 12 proclamation, sow liquidations, and economic uncertainty, unlike the past few years.

The current values for bone-in butts show an increase of 3.9% compared to this time last year, and they are also 10.4% above the...

ANALYSIS: Frozen Pork Supplies Plummet to Monthly Record Lows

The latest USDA Pork Cold Storage Report reveals that frozen pork supplies reached record monthly lows in February. Stocks decreased by 1% from the previous month and declined by 12% compared to last year. The most significant declines were observed in boneless hams, boneless loins, ribs, trimmings, and bellies, which experienced month-over-month decreases.

This reduction in frozen stocks can be partly attributed to increased demand during the third and fourth quarters of 2023 from regions impacted by Prop 12, ahead of the January 1, 2024, deadline...

CDFA Announces New Proposition 12 Certifying Agent

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Animal Care Program has announced NSF Certification LLC as its newest Proposition 12 certifying agent.

NSF Certification LLC is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is accredited to certify distributors. It will be extending its certification services nationwide within the United States, added the Animal Care Program. 

A complete list of accredited certifying agents can be found here. To date, there are eighteen private entities accredited as a certifying agent per Chapter 10 (commencing with section 1320) of Division 2 of Title 3 of the...

CDFA Announces New Proposition 12 Certifying Agent

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Animal Care Program has announced NSF Cerficiation LLC as its newest Proposition 12 certifying agent.

NSF Certification LLC is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is accredited to certify distributors. It will be extending its certification services nationwide within the United States, added the Animal Care Program. 

A complete list of accredited certifying agents can be found...

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ANALYSIS: Beef 50s and Pork 42s Take Diverging Paths

Over the past decade, fresh beef 50s and pork 42s have generally followed a corresponding trend in pricing. The two items can be used interchangeably for processed products like hot dogs and sausage, with preferences among the processors for the materials sometimes boiling down to cost. 

Fresh beef 50s have historically maintained a premium over pork 42s with recent exceptions observed in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, accelerated export interest, modestly reduced domestic production, conversion line issues, and retail interest for pork sausage supported the value of 42s, making them...

CDFA Issues New Proposition 12 Guidance Document on Certificates

The California Department of Agriculture's (CDFA) Animal Care Program has issued a new guidance document to aid stakeholders in distinguishing between the various certificates issued for Proposition 12 compliance.

Proposition 12 (2018) went fully into effect on January 1, 2024. The law prohibits the sale of shell eggs, liquid eggs, whole pork meat, or whole veal meat in California from animals that fail to comply with specific standards for freedom of movement, cage-free design, and specified minimum floor space. 

The Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12...

Canada Concerned That VCOOL Rule and Prop 12 Could Disrupt Supply Chains

Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay met with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Washington D.C. last month to discuss strengthening agricultural ties between the two countries.

During their meeting, Minister MacAulay raised proposed changes in voluntary country-of-origin labeling (VCOOL) regulations for meat and livestock. These regulations along with California's Proposition 12 could restrict trade and disrupt supply chains, said the Minister. 

The USDA proposed a rule last March that allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on...

UK Pork Producers Explore Export Opportunities to CA Amid Prop 12 Enforcement

British meat producers are exploring export opportunities to California after Proposition 12 went into full enforcement on January 1, 2024.

Proposition 12 originated as a ballot initiative in 2018 and was upheld by the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision on May 11, 2023. The Californian law prohibits the sale of meat and eggs in the state that were raised under certain farming conditions.

Under the law, breeding pigs must have a minimum of 24 square feet of usable floor space per animal. Proposition 12 applies to...

California Proposition 12 Audit Trail Guidance

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) published a new guidance document regarding the audit trail requirements (guidance) of Proposition 12 (Prop12), which can be accessed here.

The audit trail requirements of Prop 12 have previously been interpreted to require distributors to produce records going all the way back to the certified producer (i.e. sow farm). This interpretation resulted in packer/processors receiving numerous requests from customers for traceability records back to the producer to enable the customer to become a certified Prop 12 distributor. A federally inspected establishment is not...

Farmers Concerned About Effects of California's New Animal Welfare Law

A new animal welfare law going into effect in California Jan. 1 that mandates space requirements for pigs, cows and chickens has some livestock farmers on edge.

Proposition 12 prohibits sales in California of pork, veal and eggs from livestock whose confinement doesn't meet certain minimum space rules. Those rules mandate hog pens to be large enough for an animal to turn around.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, ruling 5-4 that "while the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants...

Prop 12 Enforcement Begins: Landmark Crate-Free Animal Welfare Law Fully Implemented in New Year

Beginning January 1, 2024, fresh pork sold in California and Massachusetts must be gestation-crate free as the two states’ historic animal welfare laws—Proposition 12 and Question 3—are fully implemented and enforceable. Humane animal care leader Niman Ranch is 100% audited, compliant and ready for implementation with available supply of crate-free, Certified Humane® fresh pork raised sustainably and without antibiotics by independent family farmers.

“The best resolution the pork industry and consumers can make this new year is to commit to...

duBreton Farms are Now Certified by the California Animal Care Program (Prop12)

As a leader in animal welfare, duBreton is proud to announce that they are one of the first companies to be certified and ready for the implementation of California's Proposition 12 which restricts gestation crate usage and requires 24 square feet of space per sow.

"Today, we take another step forward, since we are not just compliant, but fully audited and ready for California's Proposition 12, which goes into effect on January 1st, 2024," declared Vincent Breton, CEO...

ANALYSIS: Bacon's Market Journey Through 2023

According to the most recent data from Circana on COMTELL, as of October 15, 2023, the average price of non-discounted bacon across all U.S. foods was $6.66/lb. This figure was preceded two weeks prior by the highest price recorded this year, at $6.95/lb. In the period from January to May of 2023, supplies of bellies in cold storage saw an increase, attributed to lackluster interest in bacon from foodservice sectors during the first half of the year. However, a decline in both frozen and fresh belly supplies became evident...

New Jersey Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Banning Gestation Crates

On Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation (A-1970/S-1298) requiring the State Board of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture to "adopt rules and regulations concerning the confinement, care, and treatment of breeding pigs and calves raised for veal", according to a press release. 

The bill "prohibits confinement in an enclosure that impacts a breeding pig and calf’s ability to freely move in certain ways and properly groom itself and that limits visual contact with other calves." Specifically, the law requires a minimum of 24 square feet ...

Triumph Foods, Midwest Farmers Challenge Constitutionality of Massachusetts Question 3

Triumph Foods filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts federal district court challenging the constitutionality of the state law known as Question 3 (Q3) and, in turn, similar laws like it, including California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12). Christensen Farms Midwest, LLC, The Hanor Company of Wisconsin, LLC, New Fashion Pork, LLP, and Eichelberger Farms, Inc., also joined the suit as plaintiffs, along with the Allied Producers’ Cooperative, a group of smaller Midwest farmers.

The lawsuit also seeks preliminary injunctive relief to stay the...