Proposition 12: A Coordinated Attack on American Animal Agriculture

Why Are Eggs and Bacon So Expensive?

Over the past few years, Americans have seen the cost of staples like eggs, bacon, and pork surge. Californians, in particular, have paid as much as $9 per dozen eggs. While part of this spike can be attributed to inflation and avian influenza, the real driver is regulatory overreach; most notably, California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12). Proposition 12 and similar laws spreading across other states are not about animal welfare. This legislative activity is a well-coordinated campaign spearheaded by animal rights activists masquerading as welfare advocates. It’s about restricting animal agriculture through regulation, pricing animal products out of reach, and ultimately eradicating meat, dairy, and eggs from the food supply.

Animal Rights vs. Animal Welfare: A Critical Distinction

To understand Prop 12’s broader implications, it is important to distinguish between animal rights and animal welfare.

• Animal welfare supports the humane and responsible care of animals under human stewardship. This includes providing proper nutrition, low stress, and safe housing, as well as veterinary care.
• Animal rights, in contrast, pushes the belief that animals should not be owned, farmed, consumed, or used by humans in any way.

Groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS, now rebranded as Humane World for Animals), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and Food & Water Watch support the latter. The ultimate goal is not animal welfare, it is no use of animals at all, and they are weaponizing legislation to reach that goal.

How California Prop 12 Works and Why It’s Spreading

California's Prop 12 mandates minimum space requirements for breeding pigs, egg-laying hens, and veal calves, even for products produced in other states but sold in California. This forces out-of-state farmers to retrofit their facilities or lose access to California’s major markets.

Since its passage in 2018 and full implementation in 2024, the law has created a domino effect:

• Multiple states have passed similar “copycat” legislation.
• Producers nationwide face steep costs to comply or risk being shut out of lucrative markets.
• Production capacity has declined, leading to historic price spikes for animal products.
• According to USDA estimates, Prop 12 raised egg costs by up to $0.73 per dozen and contributed to price increases of more than 200% in some regions.

An Intentional Strategy to Dismantle Animal Agriculture

Make no mistake: these are not isolated policies, they are part of a coordinated, long-term campaign by radical groups. According to a 2024 report from the Animal Agriculture Alliance, these organizations are:

• Promoting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) bans in cities like Berkeley, CA, to set precedents
• Filing shareholder resolutions to pressure food companies
• Aligning with other radical activist groups
• Calling for a “slaughter-free plant-based food system”

Their intent is clear: force small and mid-sized farmers out of business, destabilize markets, and use regulations to reshape America’s food system, not through consumer choice, but through legal mandates that drive up the cost of food production and make animal products unaffordable for American families.

Legal Landscape: Supreme Court, DOJ, and Congress Enter the Fray

2023: Supreme Court Upholds Prop 12

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly upheld Prop 12 in a 5–4 decision. While rejecting claims that the law violated interstate commerce, the justices left the door open for future federal preemption arguments, and that door is now being tested.

USDA's Position

During a May 2025 House Appropriations hearing, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins called Prop 12 “not sustainable,” warning that state-level mandates could “put small farmers out of business.” She confirmed that the USDA has begun deregulating federal policies to reduce pressure on producers.

Supreme Court Declines Latest Challenge

On July 1, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s appeal of Prop 12, allowing the 2024 Ninth Circuit ruling to stand. This further cements Prop 12’s legal standing for now.

IPPA legal counsel Eldon McAfee expressed frustration, calling the decision “disappointing” and questioning how one state can dictate farming practices nationwide:

“This law has no scientific basis, no health justification, and creates a patchwork of laws that burden producers.”

2025: DOJ Lawsuit Targets Egg Mandates

In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Trump filed a new lawsuit, targeting Prop 12’s egg provisions under the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA). The DOJ seeks to invalidate the cage-free mandates, restore national regulatory consistency, and lower costs for producers and consumers alike. The suit argues:

• The law exceeds California’s authority under EPIA
• It fails to improve consumer safety
• It has driven egg prices to historic highs

Congressional Pushback: Farm Bill and the “Save Our Bacon Act”

Senate Action: The Food Security and Farm Protection Act

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced legislation to block state-level mandates that disrupt interstate commerce. However, opposition remains fierce. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and 32 other Democrats claim federal intervention would “create a regulatory vacuum.”

House Action: The Save Our Bacon Act

In July 2025, Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) introduced the Save Our Bacon Act, which would preempt conflicting state livestock laws like Prop 12. The bill has bipartisan backing, including support from President Trump, former President Biden, and their respective USDA Secretaries.

NPPC President Duane Stateler emphasized the stakes:

“Without legislation… producers would be faced with business-crushing decisions.”

Conclusion: Prop 12 Is About Control, Not Animal Welfare

Despite the talking points from animal rights groups, Prop 12 is not about food safety or animal welfare. There are no peer-reviewed scientific consensus supporting its mandates, and the real-world results speak for themselves:

• Regulatory challenges for producers which in some cases forces farms out of business
• Higher food prices for American families in an already stressed economic landscape due to inflation

Where We Stand

At AGPROfessionals, we believe in a future where science, sustainability, and common sense guide our food policies, not radical activism. We support American farmers and ranchers who work hard every day to feed our nation and the world.

We’ll continue to monitor developments surrounding Prop 12 and its impact on producers and American families. We will advocate for practical solutions that preserve the integrity, accessibility, and sustainability of animal agriculture in the U.S.

Links:

Meatingplace articles HERE, HERE and HERE

Website : Food Price Fix HERE