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Nobody is hand wringing aside from a few chicken littles.
Same nonsense with chickens in 2015 when that took effect. Eggs are more expensive now but otherwise it was a lot of hand-ringing. If the pig farmers don't want to lose 15% of their market they'll meet the regulatory minimums to sell their product in the state. If they don't want to, some other pig farmers will. If the market has collectively banked on California not enacting the regulations there might be a temporary supply issue while farmers decide whether or not they want to sell in California. That'll be good news for the other states though. It just means farmers will have too many pigs leading to lower prices for you.
This^
There market will work itself out, unless the Dept of Ag does something dumb like federally subsidize the pork producers.
I see the cost of pork in CA going way up, and pork "smugglers" from neighboring states getting in on the action.
It's just another item to add to the boundary state shopping trips many in CA all ready make. Head east to pick up their bacon and high capacity magazines.
I think that people should live and let live and not pick and choose whatever should be tolerated based upon their own religious and political beliefs.
I posted this before and nobody touched it with a 10 foot pole, WHERE is the scientific study and determination that the current amount of space is inadequate and the CA govt. requirements are the right ones?
I mean, it would be much better if there were a national standard ... one quoted farmer says his pens are 20 sqft, CA requires 24. Is that the right number?
But I also find this interesting ...
Quote:
In Iowa, which raises about one-third of the nation's hogs, farmer Dwight Mogler estimates the changes would cost him $3 million and allow room for 250 pigs in a space that now holds 300.
To afford the expense, Mogler said, he’d need to earn an extra $20 per pig and so far, processors are offering far less.
So a 15% reduction in capacity would cost $3MM? Looked at another way, he'd spend $12K/pen (3mm/250)?
I mean, it would be much better if there were a national standard ... one quoted farmer says his pens are 20 sqft, CA requires 24. Is that the right number?
We have that...go to the USDA site. It's all there for every kind of livestock...pen, cage and acreage.
The USDA even has cage size for guinea pigs.
It's also dependent on the breed of animal you raise as well...dwarf, normal, big breeds.
I had a ranch with a cow/calf operation, some donkeys and raised chickens as well.
No pigs though.
There's a giant market opening for humanely raised pork in CA. If the Iowa farmers are too stuck in their ways - or, as one might say, pig-headed - then others will surely fill the niche. Making market mechanisms work for a decent cause, what a concept.
it is quite interesting. the author made a perfect headline, because it's gotten so much attention. Much gnashing of the teeth (squealing like a pig?), especially from the farmer side. CA is cited as being 15% of the market. Any farmer/collective should thrilled to try and wrap up a 15% guaranteed market share.
Quote:
California's restaurants and groceries use about 255 million pounds of pork a month, but its farms produce only 45 million pounds, according to Rabobank, a global food and agriculture financial services company.
The real logistical challenge comes for the producers (aka slaughterhouse/distribution). As the article notes, it'd be a major headache to try and separate out CA-friendly from "regular" hogs - and guarantee it. So that means 2 viable options - dedicated growers to meet the 15% of total demand, or uniform standards >. CA's
I mean, it would be much better if there were a national standard ... one quoted farmer says his pens are 20 sqft, CA requires 24. Is that the right number?
But I also find this interesting ...
So a 15% reduction in capacity would cost $3MM? Looked at another way, he'd spend $12K/pen (3mm/250)?
I noticed that as well. Good comments.
I don't know enough about his specific hog production to have an opinion either way but it certainly seemed like a very large number. It may be that there are other regulations he'd also have to follow or that he's inflating his estimate a bit...i don't know. (the guy may have a *MASSIVE* hog farm too...I know two that had net worths of 10+ million each so maybe this guy has like 50,000 hogs or whatnot)
That said, he does raise the valid point that making major production changes offers no guarantee that California won't change them again in 2 years.
P.S. Thanks for addressing one nobody else in the thread has when I asked it. How do we scientifically know that going from say 20 to 24 is the right number? Maybe it's 30? 19? 200? I sure as heck know that most of the voters for this in CA have probably never seen an actual hog farm in their entire life and have no idea what they're doing with regards to it.
The real logistical challenge comes for the producers (aka slaughterhouse/distribution). As the article notes, it'd be a major headache to try and separate out CA-friendly from "regular" hogs - and guarantee it. So that means 2 viable options - dedicated growers to meet the 15% of total demand, or uniform standards >. CA's
The major meat producers will just contract with dedicated operations that make CA pig products. Some will obviously be laid out in ways that are easier to retrofit or are even already at the CA standards.
That however will, just like CA specific gas blend, push up costs beyond that of just the increased space. Less competition and more regulation costs money.
Leave money on the table out of pure spite? Wouldn't be the dumbest thing certain US conservatives have done out of spite, but it's up there...
All that regulation takes the profit out of doing business there. Why should they bother? It would be easier to stop selling the over regulated products there then it is to comply.
You don’t honestly think consumers in the rest of America should absorb the cost do you?
The real logistical challenge comes for the producers (aka slaughterhouse/distribution). As the article notes, it'd be a major headache to try and separate out CA-friendly from "regular" hogs - and guarantee it. So that means 2 viable options - dedicated growers to meet the 15% of total demand, or uniform standards >. CA's
One of two things will happen:
1. If the producer's CA share of revenue/profit is large enough, they'll either subcontract to a dedicated producer and jack up the price; or
2. If the producer's CA share too small to justify the complexity, they'll just exit the market altogether and sell that excess product somewhere else.
Considering they'll need to build separate structures to accommodate this, on another piece of land, etc etc etc, I suspect a large enough percentage of producers will decide to sell somewhere else, especially those producers whose CA share of revenue and profit are low. They shouldn't think for a second that they're an irreplaceable market. Attractive? Yes. Irreplaceable? **** no.
And supermarkets on the Nevada/CA and Arizona/CA border will make a killing selling to Californians, just like people living on the WA/OR border can instantly get a 10% price cut by shopping in OR.
You don’t honestly think consumers in the rest of America should absorb the cost do you?
Honestly I think California should subsidize the cost of pork for the rest of the country. Put their money where their mouth is. If they're truly worried about the welfare of pigs, apply that rule across the board and pay the producers the incremental cost.
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Maybe it's 30? 19? 200? I sure as heck know that most of the voters for this in CA have probably never seen an actual hog farm in their entire life and have no idea what they're doing with regards to it.
