New California Law Could Drive Up Meat Prices

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider a petition from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Pork Producers Council challenging California's Proposition 12. Prop 12 requires any pork sold in the state to adhere to California standards regardless of where it was raised.

A Wall Street Journal op-ed points out that the new standards will raise production costs about $13 a pig and only 4% of hog operations nationwide currently comply with the law. A study shows bacon prices could jump 60% in California.

"Hog farmers warn this could endanger the health and safety of sows, since diseases could more easily spread in group pens," Allysia Finley writes. "Aggressive sows might also attack other sows in their pens. There is scant evidence these space regulations reduce the risk of food-borne illness. The law is another example of California trying to impose its liberal values on the rest of the country."