Comments

1. Ronjon says

   August 1, 2021 at 1:26 pm

   ” It’s been difficult for Pig armers to adapt to the new changes”. Has it really been difficult or are they just too cheap and greedy to make the necessary changes to meet the new regulations? They have had two years to make changes and it seems like they have done nothing about it. If Calf farmers are able to do it, why can’t the Pig farmers do it?

2. S.Luke says

   August 2, 2021 at 12:53 pm

   For those who have never bred pigs, the “small” cages the sows (female pig) are kept in are called farrowing crates. The sow is only in the crate while she gives birth and until the piglets are weaned to keep the babies safe. Sows can weigh up to 500 pounds and when they flop onto their sides they can squish the babies, a farrowing crate has a 6-8” space at the bottom so the piglets can get close to mom but can get away when she goes to lay down because she can’t just flop she has to fold her front legs and lay down before rolling onto her side. By requiring more space for breeding pigs the farmers will have too much piglet loss to make it worth doing, you do gooders may just have to live without pork. Maybe do some research before voting on a bill to see what it really involves.

3. Porky says

   August 2, 2021 at 6:04 pm

   not sure why California thinks they can and should set the pork industry standards for the rest of the country. If the rest of the country won’t pay inflated market prices to cover California costs, why should farmers comply? In the end, only California pig farmers will be protected and California consumers will be affected…let them eat tofu?

   “In Iowa, which raises about a third of the country’s pigs, farmer Dwight Mogler estimates the changes would cost him $ 3 million and make room for 250 pigs in a space that now holds 300.

   To pay the expense, Mogler said, he would have to earn $ 20 more per pig and so far processors are offering much less.

   “The question for us is, if we make these changes, what will be the next change in the rules two years, three years, five years ahead?” Mogler asked.

   California rules also create a challenge for slaughterhouses, which can now send different cuts of the same pork to locations across the country and in other countries. Processors will need to design new systems to track California-compliant hogs and separate those premium cuts from standard pork that can serve the rest of the country.”