California Passes Animal Welfare Law

California voters passed Proposition 12, called by many the most progressive animal welfare law in the nation.
California voters passed Proposition 12, called by many the most progressive animal welfare law in the nation.
(.)

Californians voted to let chickens roam freely on Tuesday. Proposition 12, which would require all eggs sold in the state come from cage-free hens by 2022, was approved with 59% of the vote.

Called by many the most progressive animal welfare law in the nation, Proposition 12 comes a decade after California banned battery cages with Proposition 2 in 2008.

Proposition 12 was opposed by both the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). NPPC says it will raise costs for farmers and, eventually, prices for consumers. PETA opposes Proposition 12 because it doesn’t go far enough to stop what it sees as animal cruelty.

The new law also adds provisions that would affect veal and pork production, setting new minimum requirements on the size of pens for sows and calves raised for veal, and it bans the sale in California of products from hens, calves and pigs raised in other states that do not meet California’s standards.

Proposition 12 was sponsored and financed by the Humane Society of the United States, which also backed Proposition 2, and says the upgrade will strengthen the earlier measure. A decade ago, Proposition 2 was the furthest-reaching law for farm animals in the country. Since then a dozen states have banned or restricted confinement for at least one farm animal. Massachusetts passed a comprehensive measure in 2016 that is similar to Proposition 12.

The new law requires that starting in 2020, calves confined for production have at least 43 square feet (4 square meters) of usable floor space, while breeding pigs be given at least 24 square feet (2.2 square meters) of floor space in their pens starting in 2022.

Starting in 2020, egg-laying hens must be been given 1 square foot of floor space each on the way to being cage-free by 2022. It is estimated the new law will cost the state as much as $10 million a year to enforce, and million more in lost tax revenue from closed farm businesses.

 

Latest News

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

Success is All in the Details at Kansas Dairy Development
Success is All in the Details at Kansas Dairy Development

Kansas Dairy Development provides temporary housing for up to 80,000 head of cattle — from a few days old to springers nearly ready to calve. Their formula for success is all in the details.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

Built Out of Love: How Two Sisters Created a Super-Fast-Growing Yogurt Company
Built Out of Love: How Two Sisters Created a Super-Fast-Growing Yogurt Company

Travel to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, and you’ll meet Hayley and Stephanie Painter who not only made the Forbes 30 under 30 list, but have also created one of the fastest growing yogurt company in the U.S.

"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years
"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years

Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. There are three "boring" technologies silently shaping the industry.

Influential Dairy Leaders Awarded World Dairy Expo Recognition Awards
Influential Dairy Leaders Awarded World Dairy Expo Recognition Awards

World Dairy Expo is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2024 Expo Recognition Awards. These individuals have made remarkable contributions to the dairy industry and their communities.