By: Johan Coetsee
New legislation on pig farming in America will not have an impact on the local industry.
The new “Proposition 12” legislation (commonly known as Prop 12), which deals with the health and welfare of pigs and was passed in California in May, will have no effect on the South African pork industry, says Peter Evans, head of consumer assurance at the South African Pork Producers Organisation.
“South Africa does not export pork to America, and the chances of it happening in the foreseeable future are extremely slim,” he says.
Prop 12 prohibits the strict confinement of breeding pigs, as well as laying hens and veal calves. The US Supreme Court has paved the way for any other state to enact similar legislation.
This means most pork producers will probably have to make significant adjustments to comply with the regulations, as will other states that trade pork with California.
The compliance deadline for the legislation is January 1, 2024, but the appellate court in Sacramento, the Californian capital, has allowed farmers until July 1, 2024, to implement certain measures.
“The new legislation is causing considerable dissatisfaction among American pork producers,” says Evans. “California produces only about 1% of the pork in America but is now likely paving the way for the possibility that all pork producers in America will have to meet the strict requirements over time.”
Most American pork is produced in the Midwest, where most of the country’s grain is also grown.
Pork producers in California can be Prop 12-certified by the California agriculture department or by an accredited agent it appoints.
