California pork law impacts Kentucky farms; Local farmers weigh costs of meeting Proposition 12 standards

CLINTON, Kentucky (WPSD) -- A California initiative is forcing farms across the country to either make drastic changes to their practices or forgo selling pork products to the Golden State.

The Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, or “Proposition 12” in California, sets minimum space rules for farm animals and bans the sale of animal products that do not meet these standards.

“ affected the industry across the whole country,” said Michael Williford, owner of Williford Farms. “It raised prices a little bit for consumers. Everybody’s a little bit worried how far it’s going to reach.”

Under the rule, breeding pigs must have at least 24 square feet of room between them and another pig. Williford said this would mean big cutbacks on the litter size.

“We have a 4,800 head site,” Williford said. “It would probably cut it down to about 2,000, so it would have dramatic impacts.”

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has long criticized the initiative and spoke out at the 146th St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic.

“They’re telling Kentucky farmers how to raise their hogs,” Coleman said. “Hogs that become this delicious Kentucky pork. Friends, that stinks.”

California consumes 13-15% of all domestic pork products in the country while only producing less than 0.1%, according to the National Pork Producers Council.

Rittenberry Farms in Burna, Kentucky, has officially been Proposition 12 certified. Owner Joey Rittenberry said the majority of farms couldn’t afford to raise hogs the way his farm does.

“I raise pigs outside on dirt,” Rittenberry said. “We don’t use crates; we don’t use any kind of confinement. It’s just a different way to raise pork, and it doesn’t work for everybody.”

Rittenberry said the main reason it can’t work for the majority of farmers is the extra land and manpower needed to keep the same production volume.

“It takes a lot more land, and a lot more labor,” Rittenberry said. “Labor is very difficult to come by right now.”

Williford believes the space requirements for the pigs go against their own nature. He said the veterinarians who check on his animals say the hogs are very healthy.

“Pigs are very social animals; they want to be with their herd,” Williford said. “They want to be close to their buddies, and if they can’t do that, then it’s not real healthy for them.”

Proposition 12 also requires a third-party auditor, which Williford said would add to the financial stress on smaller farms.

“To be audited by a third-party auditor in order to be in compliance and sell to California, the cost of having that done would all just be astronomical,” Williford said.

KPP reports the pork industry has an economic impact of more than $640 million in gross domestic product in the commonwealth and supports almost 9,000 jobs statewide.

Currently, a federal bill called the “Save Our Bacon Act” is finding support from many pork producers and hog farmers across the country. This bill would prevent states from making their own regulations, like in California’s Proposition 12.