Originally Appeared in The Oklahoman
California Proposition 12 puts burdensome regulations on pork and egg production in Oklahoma and the rest of the country.
Prop 12 demands that farmers retool operations to be compliant with new regulations in order to sell in the California market. California consumes about 15% of the nation’s pork, meaning that Oklahoma farmers are forced to choose between a rock and a hard place: Costly farm renovations or missing out on a sizable portion of customers. Either option hurts their business and drives up prices.
Notably, Oklahomans did not get a chance to vote on this law. It was on the ballot in California. But they still have to pay for it. The current farm bill would fix this by clarifying that California’s agriculture laws can only regulate farmers in California.
Prop 12 isn’t “the will of the people.” It’s the will of San Francisco.
Will Coggin, Arlington, Virginia; research director at the Center for the Environment and Welfare