News

IL pork producers hopeful for Prop 12 fix

Illinois pork producers want a resolution to the Proposition 12 problem in the next farm bill.

Jennifer Tirey, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, tells Brownfield they recently took that message to Washington.

“We have been hearing that Ag Chairman, G.T. Thompson, would like to call the Farm bill before Memorial Day.”  She says, “If things go the way we’re hoping, we may be heading back to D.C. to have some further conversations.”

Prop 12, which went into full effect in January, bans the sale of pork, veal, and eggs in California from animals that are not raised in facilities that meet minimum space requirements.

Tirey says the measure is restricting access to a market that represents 15% of the nation’s pork consumption.

“A lot of our producers don’t meet the specifications,” she says, “and so therefore they’re not able to sell their product in the state of California.”

She says the industry can’t afford to make facility upgrades to become Prop 12 compliant.

“Our guys and gals have been literally treading water.”  She says, “The money’s just not there for them right now. It’s not an industry where you can pass on your additional cost to the consumer.”

Tirey says a Congressional resolution to the issue is critical to avoid a confusing patchwork of regulations. 

AUDIO: Jennifer Tirey – Executive Director at IL Pork