U.S. farm bill on track to invalidate the will of California voters
A bill that could overturn the will of California voters is making its way through Congress.
At issue is California's Prop 12, which mandates minimum cage sizes for animals raised for meat. California voters passed it in 2018 by a margin of 2 to 1. It went into effect this year. If the current farm bill passes, some say Congress will basically gut the law's intent.
Under California's Prop 12, meat that comes from animals confined in what are known as gestation crates isn't allowed to be sold here. In California, pigs must have at least enough space to lie down and turn around, as must calves raised as veal. Egg laying hens must be able to at least spread their wings. But the National Pork Producers Council has been fighting against the law since voters approved it.
"We believe the animal welfare is better served by the systems we have, said Eldon McAfee, lawyer for the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
Farmers in Iowa don't want to play by California's rules. They say it's too expensive and complicated.
"This meat can go to this state, can't go to this state, the logistics we believe are a nightmare," said McAfee.
If the current farm bill passes, out-of-state pork producers will get their way. Tucked away on page 869 is a clause that says, "… no state or subdivision thereof may enact or enforce, directly or indirectly, a condition or standard on the production of covered livestock other than for covered livestock physically raised in such state..." That would mean that California stores could sell meat that doesn't fit Prop 12's standards, as long as the animal isn't raised here.
"It's profoundly undemocratic because it ignores the millions of consumers who have rejected the cruelty of extreme animal confinement at both the ballot box and the super market," said Kate Brindle, Program Manager of Public and Corporate Policy for Farm Animal Protection with the Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society cites not only Prop 12's passage in California with 63% of the vote, but also a nationwide poll from Data for Progress that says 80% of likely US voters consider preventing farm animal cruelty a moral concern.
Cal State East Bay Professor Nolan Higdon says that for the politicians who are pushing to gut California's Prop 12, it's a contradiction in rhetoric.
"Republicans have been big champions of states' rights, particularly around the abortion issue recently. But here they are openly advocating for overriding the will of a state in a federal bill," said Higdon.
While Californians produce 1% of the nation's pork, they consume around 13%. That's according to the California Pork Producers Association.
"There's probably a lot of money from the meat industry behind this decision, so I'd imagine that's also providing some of the motivation for politicians to support overthrowing Prop 12 via this federal bill," said Higdon.
Animal rights groups say they will continue to defend Prop 12, and similar laws in other states, bringing attention to what millions of mother pigs are facing every day.
"She's forced to eat, sleep, defecate, all in the same small space. These farm animals have the same ability to feel pain and suffer like the dogs and cats we share our homes with," said Brindle.
CBS News Bay Area has reached out multiple times to the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee for his take on the bill, but haven't received a response.
The farm bill has passed through the committee and is now headed to the full House for a vote.
