STRATEGY ▶▶▶ Background and timeline for Propositions 2 and 12
• In 2008, the Humane Society developed a ballot initiative, titled Pro p- osition 2, to ban the confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal and egg-laying hens in a manner that did not allow them to turn around freely, fully extend their limbs, stand up and lie down.
• It did not provide specific square footage. • Voters approved Proposition 2 and the law took effect in 2015. • The California legislature also passed a law that banned the sale of shelled eggs from hens confined to areas that did not meet Prop 2 standards.
• Prop 12, passed in 2018, pitted the Humane Society’s support for the initi- ative against the opposition to the law of the Humane Farming Associa- tion, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Friends of Animals. These groups believe that it does not go far enough in terms of animal welfare.
hundreds of millions of additional dollars…to avoid severe criminal penalties”.
Another industry perspective United Egg Producers (UEP, the main US egg farmers’ associa- tion) represents both producers that ship to California and those who are located in California. The organisation has tak- en a “neutral position” on Prop 12. “Eggs sold in California have had to meet unique requirements in California for some time now, with the earlier passage of Prop 2 for shell egg pro- ducers,” states the UEP. “While Prop 12 changes housing re- quirements, in general, the regulatory responsibilities are largely the same for egg producers. We don’t have calculated costs for the implementation of the requirements of Prop 12, although the addition of egg products certainly will add costs to further processors.”
Kitty Block, president and chief executive officer of The Humane Society of the United States, speaks at the Humane Society Gala in 2018.
Calls for delay One of the many processors affected by Prop 12 (Sunnyval- ley) is located in the city of Manteca, California. As reported recently, it has joined a “growing chorus of calls” for the state to postpone Prop 12 implementation. The city’s mayor stated in a recent letter to the CDFA that “we believe that without the appropriate time for out-of- state producers to comply, small, family-run California- owned businesses will be irreparably harmed.” The Food Equity Alliance has also called for a delay in Prop 12 implementation, focusing on the expected increase in pork prices and decreased availability of pork in the state. In addition, the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce has stated that both businesses and consumers will be affected negatively when Prop 12 takes effect.
The United Egg Association wants maximum clarity on which products fall within the Prop 12 framework.
16 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 8, 2021
Egg producers were eyeing 2025 as the cage-free date, moving the date forward to 2022 could lead to egg shortages.
PHOTO: RONALD HISSINK
PHOTO: ANP/JOHN SALANGSANG PHOTO: RONALD HISSINK
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