UC Food Blog
Pork prices may reflect uncertainty around Prop 12
California's farm animal welfare act, approved in 2018, fully implemented in January 2024 after delays
Since being passed by California voters in 2018, Proposition 12, a farm animal welfare law, has faced a series of legal challenges that have led to uncertainty and delays in the implementation and enforcement of its requirements for the treatment of breeding pigs. A new Special Issue of ARE Update sheds light on its contentious path to eventual full implementation on Jan. 1, 2024, and analyzes how these delays have affected the retail and wholesale pork market.
Preliminary data suggest that Prop 12, and the uncertainty surrounding it, have led to an average retail price increase of 20% for covered pork products (i.e., those included under the regulation, mainly uncooked cuts of pork), as well as significantly higher prices for wholesale pork products during the implementation period and as hog farms nationally continue to adjust to the law.
Prop 12, officially known as the “Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act,” was approved by 63% of California voters. The law requires housing standards for egg-laying hens, veal calves and breeding pigs for the eggs or meat of these animals or their offspring to be sold in California.
While these standards first went into effect for egg-laying hens and veal calves as early as Jan. 1, 2020, many farms and businesses were hesitant to make large investments in the sow housing and traceability requirements until legal issues were settled for Prop 12-compliant pork.
On May 11, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Prop 12. As a result, and consistent with rulings of the Sacramento Superior Court in California, California began requiring Prop 12-compliant pork on July 1, 2023, while allowing remaining non-compliant pork already in the supply chain to be sold until Jan. 1, 2024. Although full enforcement began almost eight months after the Supreme Court ruling, hog farms, almost all of which are outside California, continue to expand the supply of pork from hogs born of mother pigs that meet California housing and treatment standards.
“A long complicated process is not uncommon for major regulations,” said Daniel A. Sumner, a study co-author and distinguished professor in the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Economists Hannah Hawkins, Shawn Arita and Seth Meyer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of the Chief Economist have been documenting prices and quantities of hogs and pork as the industry has adjusted to Prop 12. Using Circana retail scanner data, they found that in the past nine months covered pork products sold in California increased in price compared to the rest of the United States. While there was significant price fluctuation between the partial and full implementation dates, the initial price impacts were higher than would be expected after full adjustment, with price increases of 16% for bacon and 41% for pork loin.
Based on USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the authors found that wholesale prices for compliant pork cuts also increased substantially during the adjustment period, with an average price premium of 22%. Due to the many delays in implementation, Prop 12-compliant pork volumes are not yet sufficient to meet quantities that would have been demanded without these significant price increases. As the industry catches up to supply sufficient quantities of compliant pork meat to meet the California demand and a new market equilibrium is reached, both retail and wholesale prices may settle at lower price premiums. However, we may still be several months away from understanding the full impact of Prop 12 on meat and egg producers and consumers.
To learn more about the implementation of Prop 12 and its impact on the retail and wholesale pork market, read the full Special Issue of ARE Update 27(3), UC Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, online at https://giannini.ucop.edu/filer/file/1710543749/20936/.
ARE Update is a bimonthly magazine published by the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics to educate policymakers and agribusiness professionals about new research or analysis of important topics in agricultural and resource economics. Articles are written by Giannini Foundation members, including University of California faculty and Cooperative Extension specialists in agricultural and resource economics, and university graduate students. Learn more about the Giannini Foundation and its publications at https://giannini.ucop.edu/.
/h3>Organic strawberry yields boosted by technique refined through UCCE research
Anaerobic soil disinfestation helps suppress weeds, disease without fumigants
Troubled by puny plants, low yields and persistent mite problems, third-generation Southern California strawberry grower Glen Hasegawa was ready to give up on his transition from conventional to organic 12 years ago.
“I've always liked a challenge – but it turned out to be more of a challenge than I thought it would be!” he said.
But then, with the help of scientists including Oleg Daugovish, UC Cooperative Extension strawberry and vegetable crop advisor in Ventura County, Hasegawa tried a technique called anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD). When applied correctly, the multi-step ASD process creates a soil environment that suppresses pathogens and weeds and makes for healthier, more robust crop growth.
“Back in the day, it was really hard to get the plant growing vigorously in organic,” said Hasegawa, owner of Faria Farms in Oxnard. “So we started using the ASD and then you could definitely see that the plant had more vigor and you could grow a bigger, better plant using it.”
Seeing that he could produce yields “in the neighborhood” of those grown in conventional strawberry fields fumigated with synthetic fumigants, Hasegawa was able to expand his original 10 acres of organic strawberries to 50 acres.
“I guess you could say I'm kind of a convert,” he said, noting that he now applies ASD to all his acreage each year in late spring.
Joji Muramoto, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in organic production based at UC Santa Cruz, has been experimenting with ASD since it was first brought to the U.S. from the Netherlands and Japan in the early 2000s. Carol Shennan, a professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at UCSC, and Muramoto were among the first to try the technique in California. They found that ASD successfully controlled an outbreak of Verticillium wilt – caused by the pathogen Verticillium dahliae – at UCSC's small organic farm in 2002.
Since then, Shennan, Muramoto, Daugovish and their colleagues have seen encouraging results at 10 trial sites across the state.
“We demonstrated that ASD can provide comparable yields with fumigants, in side-by-side replicated trials,” Muramoto said.
ASD promotes host of beneficial changes to soil ecosystem
ASD comprises three basic steps: incorporating a carbon source that is easily digestible by microbes in the soil (traditionally, rice bran has been used), further encouraging fermentation by covering the soil with plastic to limit oxygen supply, and finally adding water through drip irrigation to initiate the “anaerobic” decomposition of the carbon source and maintain the three-week “cooking” process.
The resulting cascade of chemical, microbiological and physical changes to the soil creates an ecosystem that is both conducive to strawberry growth – and inhospitable to pathogens and weeds.
“It's not like a pesticide where you have a mode of action, and thus resulting in ‘A' and ‘B' for you,” Daugovish explained. “There's a sort of cocktail of events that happens in the soil; they all happen interconnectedly.”
Compared to similar fields that did not undergo the process, ASD-applied organic strawberry fields across California have seen yields increase by 60% to 70% – and even doubling in some cases, according to Daugovish.
The UCCE advisor also shared the story of a longtime grower in Ventura County, who came to him with fields in “miserable” condition; they were plagued by one of the world's worst weeds, yellow nutsedge, and infected with charcoal rot, a disease caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. But after applying rice bran and following the ASD recipe, the grower saw phenomenal results.
“The only complaint he said to me was, ‘Now I have too many berries – we have to have more pickers to pick the berries!'” Daugovish recalled.
Via researchers' meetings, online resources, on-farm demonstration trials and word of mouth from peers, use of ASD by California strawberry growers has grown significantly during the past two decades. Tracking the purchase of rice bran, Muramoto estimated that about 2,500 acres were treated by the ASD-related practices in 2023 – covering roughly half of the 5,200 total acres of organic strawberries in California.
Muramoto directly links the growth of California organic strawberry production – which now comprises about 13% of total strawberry acreage in the state – with the increasing adoption of ASD.
“If you remove the acreage with the applied rice bran over the last 10 years or so, organic strawberry acreage is just flat,” he said.
Within the last decade, acreage of organic strawberries with ASD-related practices increased by 1,640 acres, which is a boon for air quality, human health and long-term soil vitality. According to Muramoto's calculations, that increase in organic acreage translates to a reduction of about 465,000 pounds of fumigant active ingredients that would have been used in growing conventional strawberries.
“There are hundreds of reports of acute illnesses related to fumigation in the record, so it's very important to find alternatives to fumigants,” said Muramoto, citing California Department of Pesticide Regulation documents.
Research continues to make ASD more economical, effective
The popularity of ASD has come at a price, however, for organic strawberry growers.
“There's more organic out there, and I think most of the organic guys are using it, so there's more demand on the rice bran; the price has been steadily going up every year, like everything else,” said Hasegawa, adding that he has been trying to decrease the amount of carbon while maintaining ASD's efficacy.
On top of greater demand from other growers and from beef cattle and dairy producers (who use rice bran as feed), the price also has increased due to higher costs in transporting the material across the state from the Sacramento Valley. So Daugovish and his colleagues – including Peter Henry, a U.S. Department of Agriculture plant pathologist – have been searching for a cheaper alternative.
“We all want an inexpensive, locally available, reliable, easy to use and functional carbon source, which sounds like a big wish list,” Daugovish said.
Carbon sources such as bark, wood chips, or compost are ineffective, as the crucial ASD microorganisms are choosy about their food.
“Microbes are just like cows; you can't feed them straight wood; they get pretty angry,” Daugovish explained. “And if you feed them something with too much nitrogen, they can't digest it – they get the runs. Microbes are the same way – you have to have the right proportion of stuff so they feel comfortable doing what they're doing.”
In search of an ideal replacement, researchers tried and ruled out grass clippings, onion waste, glycerin and coffee grounds. Finally, they pivoted to a material with properties very similar to rice bran: wheat bran, in the form of wheat middlings (also called midds, a byproduct of flour milling) and dried distillers' grain (DDG, a byproduct of ethanol extraction).
After field experiments in Santa Paula, the UC and USDA researchers found that midds and DDG were just as effective at controlling soilborne pathogens and weeds as rice brain – but at 25% to 30% less cost. Their results were published last year in the journal Agronomy.
“Not surprisingly, the wheat bran has worked almost exactly the same as rice bran,” Daugovish said.
He and Muramoto are now conducting trials with wheat bran at commercial fields, and the initial results are promising. Daugovish said the grower at one site in Ventura County has seen a 90% reduction in Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal pathogen of charcoal rot, in the soil – and an 80% to 90% drop in yellow nutsedge germination. They are waiting for final yield numbers after the coming summer.
While ASD has been beneficial to organic productivity and soil health, both Daugovish and Muramoto acknowledged specific limitations in suppressing the “big three” strawberry diseases: Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt and charcoal rot. In coastal areas with cooler soil temperatures, for example, ASD can actually exacerbate the latter two diseases, as the fungal pathogens feed on the rice bran.
“We know it works at warmer temperatures, but, practically, it's hard to do in coastal California,” Muramoto said. “It would be nice if we can find a way to suppress Fusarium wilt at a lower temperature, but we don't have it right now.”
That's why researchers emphasize that ASD is not a “silver bullet.” It's just one tool in the organic toolbox, which includes careful crop rotation, disease-resistant strawberry varieties and better diagnostic tests that help growers pinpoint outbreaks and make the application of various methods more targeted and more efficient.
And scientists will continue to optimize ASD to make it more effective and economical for growers in the different strawberry regions of California – from the Central Coast to the Oxnard Plain.
“We know it can work really well; it's just finding the most sustainable way to do this in our region,” Daugovish said. “We've got to just have an open mind and keep trying.”
/h3>/h3>/h3>REC System Director Haver encourages systemic approach to agriculture
Agriculture generates $59 billion and employs nearly 400,000 individuals in California. The industry, however, is often threatened by challenges like climate change, land conversion and water scarcity. Motivated to act, Sustain Southern California – an organization associated with UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation – hosted a roundtable discussion on Feb. 20 featuring subject matter experts including Darren Haver, director of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Research and Extension Center System.
During his keynote address, Jose Arriaga, Orange County Agricultural Commissioner, defined sustainability as food and fiber production that does not compromise the ability for future generations to meet their needs. In doing so, he acknowledged the benefit of discussing such timely topics with key players, especially for places where agriculture is not as prevalent as it used to be.
“Many people don't think of Orange County as a place for agriculture. It's probably because less land is being reserved for agriculture, not like back in the day. And that worries me,” said Arriaga.
The first roundtable discussion centered on sustainable agriculture, with Haver participating alongside other industry leaders based in Southern California, including A.G. Kawamura of Orange County Produce, Steve Brazeel of Sunterra Produce and Elevated Foods, Anthony Curci of Buttonwood Ranch and Parker Cohn from Performance Resource Management.
In discussing today's generation, Haver said that he has seen a shift over the last few decades away from yield alone, which used to be the most important aspect of production in agriculture. Today, much more attention is dedicated to sustainability – a change that Haver attributes to the younger generation of researchers and plant scientists working in agriculture.
There has also been an emphasis on sustaining the environment while maintaining economic progress. Haver recognized these important elements, but highlighted the social impact of sustainability, too.
“I don't have all the answers, but I do believe that addressing the environmental, economic and social aspects of agriculture is important. I also think that these factors should be addressed systemically rather than in silos,” said Haver.
Southern California agricultural producers, in particular, are responsible for $7.8 billion in gross receipts and nearly 100,000 jobs directly related to agriculture. In Orange County alone, where Haver is based at the South Coast Research and Extension Center, agriculture makes up $86 million of total economic output, with nurseries leading as a top commodity followed by fruit trees, vegetable production and livestock and apiary.
Climate-smart crop production workshops March 5-7 in Ventura, Salinas and Tulare
Growers invited to learn how to manage risks to fruit, nut, vegetable production
UC Cooperative Extension is offering workshops in Ventura, Salinas and Tulare to help growers adapt their fruit, nut and vegetable production practices to variable climate conditions.
"Growers, farm and ranch managers, and technical assistance providers can learn about the latest research and advances in managing risks to agricultural production that can result from climate change and climate variability,” said Daniele Zaccaria, associate professor in agricultural water management for Cooperative Extension at UC Davis.
Tapan Pathak, UCCE specialist at UC Merced, will speak about climate change trends, potential impacts on agricultural production and decision support tools. Zaccaria and local experts will discuss cover cropping, pests and other issues.
During a roundtable session, participants will discuss their own production challenges resulting from climate change and variability.
“Participants will also learn about tools available to aid manage climate change and climate variability risks," Zaccaria said.
The Climate-Smart Agricultural Production Practices workshops will be held in three locations:
Ventura: Vegetable and Berry Production
March 5 (8 a.m.–1:30 p.m.)
669 County Square Dr., Suite 100
Speakers include UCCE advisors Andre Biscaro, Ben Faber and Mark Battany, and other scientists and experts from Ventura County Resource Conservation District and Land IQ. Register at https://bit.ly/VenturaCrops.
Salinas: Vegetable, Berry and Grapevine Production
March 6 (8 a.m. –2 p.m.)
1432 Abbott St.
Speakers include Daniel Hasegawa and Eric Brennan of USDA-ARS and UCCE advisors Larry Bettiga, Michael Cahn and Mark Bolda. Register at https://bit.ly/SalinasCrops.
Tulare: Fruit and Nut Production
March 7 (8 a.m.–2 p.m.)
4500 South Laspina St.
Speakers include UCCE advisors Jhalendra Rijal, Mark Battany, Mohammad Yaghmour, Sandipa Gautam, Brent Holtz and other scientists and experts from USDA-NRCS, Almond Board of California; California Pistachio Research Board and Land IQ. Register at https://bit.ly/TulareCrops.
Workshops are free and include coffee breaks, lunch, workshop materials along with the presentations. Registration is required.
These workshops are supported by grants from the California Department of Food and Agriculture and USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
/h3>
‘Super Carbolicious’ 4-H Food Fiesta challenges young chefs
Inside a quiet classroom, Sadie, a 4-H member in Orange County, stands in front of two judges with an insulated cooler bag in hand. From it she pulls out plates, utensils and napkins and sets them down on the table. She unzips the bottom compartment and carefully reaches for a cast iron platter with golden fluffy pancakes piled on top.
“Would you like syrup with your pancakes? I highly recommend it,” said Sadie, an eighth grader who is participating in the annual 4-H Food Fiesta for a second time.
4-H, a youth development program supported by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and administered through local UC Cooperative Extension offices, promotes hands-on experiential learning for all youth.
Rita Jakel, 4-H program coordinator for Orange County, described the Food Fiesta event – intended for ages 5 to 18 – as an opportunity to practice and showcase public speaking skills through a fun, food-related competition.
Youth present their creations before a panel of evaluators, who ask them to describe how they prepared the dish and why, and how they managed challenges throughout the process. The interaction between youth and adult leaders provides a unique opportunity for youth to practice career readiness skills such as job interviews and public speaking.
This year's theme was “Super Carbolicious” and 4-H participants were encouraged to make their favorite dishes using ingredients like pasta, potatoes and bread. Carbohydrates are often perceived as unhealthy, which is not a helpful mindset to have when teaching youth about nutrition. Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted into energy that people need to function throughout the day.
Some of the dishes that were presented during the Food Fiesta included chocolate chip banana bread, cheesy baked potatoes, cookies and Nutella-stuffed crepes. 4-H member Kaitlin had only ever attended the Food Fiesta to cheer on a friend. This year, she decided to participate and presented pumpkin macaroni and cheese as her entry.
“Pumpkin mac and cheese is better than the regular one because there's a lot more flavor and you have to use two cheeses: cheddar and parmesan,” explained Kaitlin, a seventh grader. When asked what motivated her to participate instead of a being a bystander this time around, Kaitlin said that she wanted to work on her presentation skills.
“Usually, I'm a bit shy and I don't like to share that much. The Food Fiesta helped me practice speaking up more so that I can accomplish my goals,” Kaitlin said.
Sadie, who loves public speaking, admits that it wasn't always a strength of hers. “There was a time when I hated public speaking. But when I joined 4-H's cake decorating, poultry and food fiesta events, I got more comfortable with public speaking,” she said. “Now, I like going to events and showing off. I get to show off turkeys, my cakes and, today, I presented homemade pancakes.”
Helping to keep the day's festivities running smoothly were two 4-H state ambassadors: Michaela and Laurelyn, two high school seniors. Both have been involved in 4-H for over nine years, with Laurelyn being a third-generation 4-H member. “My grandmother grew up in a 4-H club in Orange County. She still raises breeding lambs for 4-H members to this day,” said Laurelyn, whose mother was a 4-H member in San Joaquin County.
As state ambassadors, they are responsible for creating and presenting workshops during state, national and regional events. “We also engage the public via social media, specifically TikTok and Instagram (@4horangeco),” said Michaela, who is in her second year as an ambassador.
During the Food Fiesta, Michaela and Laurelyn made themselves available to answer questions from participants and their families. Both ambassadors agreed that seeing parents involved in 4-H should not come as a surprise. “Being in 4-H is a family effort. This isn't an extra-curricular where you just drop your kids off and leave,” said Michaela.
Laurelyn shared that the biggest misconception others have about 4-H is that they think it's about introducing youth to agriculture or livestock. There's a civic engagement and leadership component to it, too. “If parents knew about all the ways 4-H can benefit their kids, I think more people would want to join us,” she said. “And they're finding fun ways to help us learn life skills, like this Food Fiesta.”
The homemade dishes weren't the only thing to look forward to, however. In another building, Sandy Jacobs, volunteer event coordinator, and her team set up a kitchen quiz for members. On several tables, there were different cooking tools and participants were challenged to name as many tools as they could.
In another classroom, while some members were presenting food, others presented their themed table setting décor. Participants had to prepare a complete table setting entry including a menu card, centerpiece and table settings for two. Judges considered creativity, use of color, table setting etiquette, knowledge in talking to the judges, and appearance in their evaluation.
Finally, to wrap up the day, members competed in a cupcake decorating competition. Participants were responsible for bringing their own supplies including tools and edible decorations for Cupcake Wars. Depending on their age group, participants had 20 minutes to decorate two to four cupcakes, each of a different theme.
To learn more about 4-H in Orange County, visit https://oc4h.org/.