Will Bacon ‘Disappear’ In California?
Only 4 percent of hog operations comply with new animal welfare legislation coming into force in California - meaning bacon could soon ‘disappear’ in the state.
Bacon could ‘disappear’ in California as new animal welfare protections are set to prioritize pig’s welfare over production costs.
Californians voted overwhelmingly for stronger animal protection laws in the state back in 2018. The vote to improve Proposition 12, vowed to ensure that pork, eggs and veal products produced or sold in California come from facilities that do not confine animals in tiny cages for their entire lives, explains The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Now, those laws that grant more space for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, and calves raised for veal, are set to come into force in the state at the start of next year.
But currently only 4% of hog operations comply with the new legislation. “Unless the courts intervene or the state temporarily allows noncompliant meat to be sold in the state, California will lose almost all of its pork supply” reports The Los Angeles Times, who warn that bacon may “disappear” in the state.
“We are very concerned about the potential supply impacts and therefore cost increases,” says Matt Sutton, the public policy director for the California Restaurant Assn.
The 2018 vote for improved animal welfare was led by a coalition of non-profit organizations and was supported by more than 600 California veterinarians and veterinary clinics, and over 100 California family farmers.
But the pork industry has since mounted several lawsuits against allowing farmed animals to have more space. So far all of these lawsuits have been unsuccessful.
“Why are pork producers constantly trying to overturn laws relating to cruelty to animals?” commented Josh Balk, VP of farm animal protection at HSUS. “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.”
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