New USDA data reveals that California’s landmark animal welfare law drove up pork prices for consumers and disproportionately affected small farmers, a finding that gives Republicans ammunition in upcoming farm bill negotiations.
The data, shared with the House Agriculture Committee and obtained by POLITICO, shows that 27 percent of U.S. pork producers have made or are working to make investments to comply with California’s Proposition 12, which created confinement requirements for any hogs that are sold or raised in the state.
Retail pork prices in California increased by nearly 19 percent in June compared with the same month last year, USDA found. A study conducted by the department in May found that California’s low-income families reduced their pork purchases by 22 percent since the law’s implementation on Jan. 1, 2024.
The data comes as the House Agriculture Committee gears up for a Wednesday hearing on the state law and its fallout. How Republicans handle Proposition 12 could be one of the biggest fights in the “skinny” farm bill they’re aiming to pass this year.
