The future availability and price for veal in the state of California is uncertain following the passage of a law in 2018 mandating space requirements for raising food animals, according to the American Veal Association (AVA). It was the second time in a decade that voters in California passed a statewide animal welfare initiative.
The new law established minimum space requirements for calves raised for veal (43 square feet of floor space per animal), breeding pigs (24 square feet) and egg-laying chickens (1 square foot). Proposition 12 also will ban the sale of veal, pork and eggs when the animals are confined in areas below the minimum space requirements when it becomes state law in 2020. Finally, the importation of such protein products into the state of California is also forbidden, creating a nationwide concern for producers.
Industry experts suggest passage of Proposition 12 in California last year will force farmers in the Golden State, and elsewhere, to raise about 66 calves in a barn that was designed to hold 200 calves because of the act’s space requirements. Starting Jan. 1, 2020, veal intended for sale in California will need to come from barns that offer 43 square feet per calf, regardless of size or age of the calf.
The American Veal Association has called the regulations “unnecessary … and excessive” and notes that “no milk-fed veal raised anywhere in the world” meets the new floor space requirements. The AVA notes that its members already provide between 16 and 20 square feet of space per calf depending on the size of the animal.
It is uncertain what the final impact will be on the California domestic veal producers and on out-of-state producers shipping such food product into the state for distribution and sale. As the state of California continues its march towards imposing more strict regulations concerning the humane treatment of animals, consumers will soon find out if the price of veal will suddenly skyrocket or not.
Let Us Know What You Thought about this Post.
Put your Comment Below.