DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Bacon May Disappear In California As Pig Law Takes Effect

The California rules could be a case of consumers clearly paying a price for their beliefs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thanks to a reworked menu and long hours, Jeannie Kim managed to keep her San Francisco restaurant alive during the coronavirus pandemic.

That makes it all the more frustrating that she fears her breakfast-focused diner could be ruined within months by new rules that could make one of her top menu items — bacon — hard to get in California.

“Our number one seller is bacon, eggs and hash browns,” said Kim, who for 15 years has run SAMS American Eatery on the city’s busy Market Street. “It could be devastating for us.”

At the beginning of next year, California will begin enforcing an animal welfare proposition approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2018 that requires more space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves. National veal and egg producers are optimistic they can meet the new standards, but only 4% of hog operations now comply with the new rules. Unless the courts intervene or the state temporarily allows non-compliant meat to be sold in the state, California will lose almost all of its pork supply, much of which comes from Iowa, and pork producers will face higher costs to regain a key market.

Animal welfare organizations for years have been pushing for more humane treatment of farm animals but the California rules could be a rare case of consumers clearly paying a price for their beliefs.

With little time left to build new facilities, inseminate sows and process the offspring by January, it’s hard to see how the pork industry can adequately supply California, which consumes roughly 15% of all pork produced in the country.

“We are very concerned about the potential supply impacts and therefore cost increases,” said Matt Sutton, the public policy director for the California Restaurant Association.

California’s restaurants and groceries use about 255 million pounds of pork a month, but its farms produce only 45 million pounds, according to Rabobank, a global food and agriculture financial services company.

The National Pork Producers Council has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture for federal aid to help pay for retrofitting hog facilities around the nation to fill the gap. Hog farmers said they haven’t complied because of the cost and because California hasn’t yet issued formal regulations on how the new standards will be administered and enforced.

Barry Goodwin, an economist at North Carolina State University, estimated the extra costs at 15% more per animal for a farm with 1,000 breeding pigs.

If half the pork supply was suddenly lost in California, bacon prices would jump 60%, meaning a $6 package would rise to about $9.60, according to a study by the Hatamiya Group, a consulting firm hired by opponents of the state proposition.

At one typical hog farm in Iowa, sows are kept in open-air crates measuring 14-square-feet when they join a herd and then for a week as part of the insemination process before moving to larger, roughly 20-square foot group pens with other hogs. Both are less than the 24 square feet required by the California law to give breeding pigs enough room to turn around and to extend their limbs. Other operations keep sows in the crates nearly all of the time so also wouldn’t be in compliance.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture said that although the detailed regulations aren’t finished, the key rules about space have been known for years.

“It is important to note that the law itself cannot be changed by regulations and the law has been in place since the Farm Animal Confinement Proposition (Prop 12) passed by a wide margin in 2018,” the agency said in response to questions from the AP.

The pork industry has filed lawsuits but so far courts have supported the California law. The National Pork Producers Council and a coalition of California restaurants and business groups have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to delay the new requirements. The council also is holding out hope that meat already in the supply chain could be sold, potentially delaying shortages.

Josh Balk, who leads farm animal protection efforts at the Humane Society of the United States, said the pork industry should accept the overwhelming view of Californians who want animals treated more humanely.

“Why are pork producers constantly trying to overturn laws relating to cruelty to animals?” Balk asked. “It says something about the pork industry when it seems its business operandi is to lose at the ballot when they try to defend the practices and then when animal cruelty laws are passed, to try to overturn them.”

In Iowa, which raises about one-third of the nation’s hogs, farmer Dwight Mogler estimates the changes would cost him $3 million and allow room for 250 pigs in a space that now holds 300.

To afford the expense, Mogler said, he’d need to earn an extra $20 per pig and so far, processors are offering far less.

“The question to us is, if we do these changes, what is the next change going to be in the rules two years, three years, five years ahead?” Mogler asked.

The California rules also create a challenge for slaughterhouses, which now may send different cuts of a single hog to locations around the nation and to other countries. Processors will need to design new systems to track California-compliant hogs and separate those premium cuts from standard pork that can serve the rest of the country.

At least initially, analysts predict that even as California pork prices soar, customers elsewhere in the country will see little difference. Eventually, California’s new rules could become a national standard because processors can’t afford to ignore the market in such a large state.

Kim, the San Francisco restaurant owner, said she survived the pandemic by paring back her menu, driving hundreds of miles herself through the Bay Area to deliver food and reducing staff.

Kim, who is Korean-American, said she’s especially worried for small restaurants whose customers can’t afford big price increases and that specialize in Asian and Hispanic dishes that typically include pork.

“You know, I work and live with a lot of Asian and Hispanic populations in the city and their diet consists of pork. Pork is huge,” Kim said. “It’s almost like bread and butter.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bacon-cal...nznFMo7yexBKckI

This is a prime example of where those who claim to be woke would have been much better off staying asleep.

but the pigs...







jk, I love bacon.

Oink Oink

Doesnt anyone care about the welfare of the animals? It spends its life in a tiny pen crammed with other pigs. The law is literally so it has enough room to turn around and extend its limbs. I dont think thats too much to ask.

On this we agree. It’s pretty disgusting how we treat animals in factory farms. There’s some documentaries about what goes on in those places. They are really hard to watch.

+1

I don't like it with pigs, chickens, or cows. Same with any animal, I think they deserve the respect of the sacrifice we ask them to make... I blame corporate farming for the horrible conditions... but none of that changes the fact that I love bacon.

Also, who is this imposter? Eve doesn't have a heart.

I have a heart. I grew up riding horses, and boarding my horse on all kinds of farms. I'm quite sure animals are the best people, they are always honest and not corruptable. And always good company. My heart is for the animals.

I would raise some in my backyard but HOA says no.

That is a good point. Perhaps we should elect animals to Congress.

It would be a step up from the stuff elected humans give us...

Amen to that.

So you would prefer a four legged pig instead of the two legged pigs in office.

"Four legs, good; two legs, bad."

-George Orwell, 1984

j/c

Yes, let's be nice to them before we eat them.

Watch the documentary ‘Dominion’… or another called ‘Earthling’. My guess is most people can’t get through them. Turning them off before they’re over out of being unable to stomach what they’re seeing.
It’s not about ‘being nice’ to the animals. It’s about not being cruel towards other living things.
I do my best to buy from local farmers. I’m not perfect. But I’m also aware of what goes on in factory farms. It’s gut-wrenching.

I grew up in farm country and I have seen the documentaries. Watching these animals being slaughtered and processed is something many couldn't stomach either. But it happens every day.

You see, I do have some liberal beliefs, but I'm not quite as "woke" as some people who think everything they don't like suddenly becomes a "cause".

I'm not willing to endure a huge price increase in my meat so farmers are nice to animals I'm just going to eat anyway. There are far more important issues I'm concerned with to allow something I consider very low on my priority list to distract me.

And before you go on, just imagine the huge increase in meat prices this will cause and just how much this will negatively impact poor Americans that can barely afford, or can't afford to buy food now.

I'm a people over animal guy when it comes to the cost of our food supply. Millions upon millions of poor Americans depend on that. If the only issue was the animals I would most likely agree with you. But when I compare that to the fact that many poor people will no longer to be able to afford to feed their families my opinion on the matter is an easy one to come to.

Maybe we should elect the pigs and eat the politicians?

If I could wrap my mind around the idea of cannibalism that might not be a bad idea. But alas I can't.

Not a fan of food poisoning.

It's disgusting that you're ok with seeing animals suffer miserable lives just so you can save a buck.

It's not me I'm worried about. It's literally millions of Americans who couldn't feed their families if such a price increase happened. And here I thought you had reading and comprehension capabilities.

I'm disgusted you care more about livestock than people.

Right, if you even bothered to read your own article you would know that the chicken and veal farmers have no problems meeting the new guidelines.

But by all means, continue to be on your high horse when we can all see through it. Humans don't have a right to animal cruelty. God made us all. Including the animals. And your disgusting selfish side is showing.

Oh they can certainly meet them. But if you think a lot more property to raise the same amount of animals isn't going to cost at the grocery and impact the poor the most, you are wrong.

Your lack of empathy for struggling Americans is disgusting but it's nothing new.

Its sad that you use poor people to try to win an argument. There are plenty of low cost meat choices available for everyone. So go ahead and cry giant tears because pork is temporarily more expensive.

Its nice to know that you are pro cruelity to animals just so you can save a buck. Shows what kind of person you are. Maybe you should go watch those videos Portland posted.

What low cost meat choices are you talking about and how much more will they cost if these regulations are implemented nationwide? I guess you thik kids should live off of generic brand bologna.

Once again for your lack of ability to comprehend. This isn't about me. It's about your lack of compassion for your fellow Americans.

Have another glass of wine.

I'm pro people. You should try it for a change. You're the same person who advocates low wages for people that can barely make ends meet now. Now you want to help starve them to death too.

Way to make up stuff to try to twist things.

Why dont you read your own article to see what the law actually says, and which meat is actually affected.

Or you could smoke another doobie and continue to support cruelty towards animals as you feel they should live miserable lives and shouldnt even be able to turn around. Because, yenno, Pit needs his cheap pork butt.

I don't smoke weed. So your claim is it won't impact beef, pork or chicken prices. Is that what you're saying? That taking more property to produce the same amount of meat will not cost more?

If I needed a cheap pork butt I would pay you a visit. I mean you have some in your freezer, right?

Did you even read your own article? Do you not understand how little space their pens have and the increase is only enough so they can turn around? Do you feel an animal should live its life not being able to turn around?

You can cry giant tears about bacon inflation all you want. I dont care.

And if you want cheap pork butt you can go squeeze your wife.

I have to admit that I love animals, especially cows, pigs, chicken, and fish.

We can do both. Price goes up, call bacon a luxury. I'd still buy it at $10 a pound, you pay almost that much for decent lunch meat if there is such a thing.

If there was some rule put in place that you could only eat one kind of meat, mine would be bacon.

You can eat that stuff at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

A donut shop opened about a mile from the house. I hate that place. They make maple glazed with bacon sprinkled on top!!

I hate those people because I love those things.

A balance can be found between ethical treatment of animals and optimal production. I grew up around farming and come from multiple generations of farmers. When you look at modern farms, animals are definitely being crowded together far more than seems reasonable based on what I grew up seeing.

This however...



...is patently absurd. Either the journalist is making this up or they managed to find the cruelest farmer ever. Think about this for a second, 14 square feet is less than 4x4 ft, and a breeding sow is about 400 lbs.

I saw a video put out by a farmer showing "humanely treated happy pigs" and the sows were basically in a chute, standing in one direction unable to move. And the piglets would come up and suckle. It was quite sad.

1. create a problem that doesn't exist.
2. pedal fear on the problem
3. make a law to grab power based on the fear.

I just know, around here (and I know a l

alot of hog and steer farmers), that is not the case.

The animals have plenty of room.

Ever put up a $1.2 million dollar ..............eh, doesn't matter.

You place animals over people. That's your right. You're the same person that wants people to continue trying to live on starvation wages and now wants to help starve them in another way. Oh the humanity.

We know who the queen of cheap pork butts is and she doesn't live at my house. And I wouldn't let you live here either.

That's probably a farrowing crate you saw. Think of that like a hospital bed for delivering babies. They are not usually in those for a long period of time. Those are actually important for the safety of the piglets and the farmer. That 400 lb sow may not want the farmers help with delivering those piglets even if it is in everyone's best interest. I have no problem with confining the animal temporarily when it is for safety and other practical reasons. There are many times when it is in an animals best interest.

I've been around hog farms here too that are not like this, but there are a few documentaries out that show them being confined for pretty much their entire life in these things. I think that's all they are saying.

My cousins ex husband actually has/had (not sure) a job where part of his duties were helping them bread naturally. His job was guiding the male member into place... smh. We used to mess with him hard about that.

The reason I bring that up is that their operation was more like you are saying. The hogs had a mud lot, 8x8 pens, birthing cages, and similar confinement for insemination. They were fed, wattered, and medically treated... but I would never call them happy pigs. As a matter of fact I think you could see in their eyes at times that they understood and knew the reason they were being raised.