Reports of empty meat shelves in California can’t be attributed to Prop 12, said Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Agriculture (CDFA), at the Ag Media Summit in Palm Springs, Calif. At least, not yet.
“It’s not even being enforced yet,” Ross said about Prop 12. “It’s way too early to make that kind of claim. You may see empty shelves for other reasons.”
CDFA is focused on spending the remainder of 2023 helping people who want to be compliant for Prop 12, Ross explained. Real enforcement of Prop 12 in the meat case won’t happen before Jan. 1.
“A big box store has said they won’t be fully compliant yet this year and before January 1,” Ross said. “Jan. 1 is when real enforcement could happen.”
Her biggest fear, however, is that people will start buying non-compliant pork underground. They’ve already seen this happen in the poultry industry.
Enforcement is a big question on many people’s minds. Ross emphasized Prop 12 is not CDFA’s job to enforce. It’s the district attorney’s. She said CDFA has hosted over 4,500 people on webinars recently to improve understanding of Prop 12.
Despite efforts to mitigate the chaos, confusion still abounds around Prop 12 regulations amidst all sectors.
“I don’t think voters and folks in California specifically understood the complexity of this proposal, and now they’re living through it and seeing the consequences of it,” Kelly Cushman, vice president of domestic policy for the National Pork Producers Council, said in AgriTalk on Thursday.
Whose Job is it Anyway?
With over 40 million people in California, it’s not an easy feat to go up against a ballot initiative. Ross pointed out that money was put in to increase understanding before Prop 12 passed, but to be successful, they needed much more money.
“The state government’s job is to provide the information and the facts, which we did, but we’re not allowed to go out and run campaigns. It’s not our job,” she emphasized.
She is concerned about the cost of Prop 12 production and what that will do to pork prices in California.
“Pork is a very reasonably priced protein, especially in our state. In a lot of demographics in our population, pork is a mainstay. We stressed what this means for the consumer,” Ross said. “We were very transparent that it will make pork more expensive.”
Hazards Ahead
Prop 12 isn’t the first to cause problems in the state of California. In 2009, the cage-free egg proposition served as a precursor to engaging with activists, she pointed out.
“My most important counsel is don’t blow off the folks who really care about animals. I mean, this still won’t get you a perfect solution, but at least you have a chance for some practicality,” she said. “It is what it is.”
With that, the pressure is on for pork producers to make the call on whether they want to change how they raise hogs or if they want to sell pork into California.
“All we are saying is, if you want to sell in California, this is what you need to do,” she said. “It doesn’t mean you have to change your entire production.”
Experts say Prop 12 will probably cost $3,000 to $4,000 a sow to implement, which could be upwards of $10 million per farm.
“I think this just speaks to the fundamental right that farmers and producers should have the freedom to make personalized decisions that best suit their operation and their situation. Prop 12 is preventing them from being able to do that,” Cushman told AgriTalk host Chip Flory.
Still, Ross argues the whole pork industry doesn’t need to change.
“We’re trying to be as pragmatic as we possibly can, for that stream to come into California. I don’t think there’s a magic way, other than being as transparent as possible and inviting people in,” Ross said. “I just feel like it’s a different time and place. It’s hard with how far removed every generation is to connect all of that and there’s no perfect answer.”
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Prop 12 Fallout: Pork Producers Face Multi-Million Dollar Compliance Costs
Special Alert: California Proposition 12 Releases New Guidance
