Hays Explains Decision To Support Suit Against California Law

Monroe City farmer and Missouri Farm Bureau vice president Todd Hays is one of 13 pork producers supporting a challenge to California’s Proposition 12, which would require pork sold in the state to come from hogs raised in housing systems currently used by less than one percent of farmers. Hays tells Regional Radio that with Farm Bureau and other groups encouraging farmers to stand up and tell their story, it only made sense to step forward.

Hays added it was important for producers to be involved in the lawsuit brought by the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council, following Missouri’s unsuccessful challenge to California’s egg law.

Hays said it was time for producers to draw a line against laws being written without input or representation from the farmers that are impacted.

If allowed to remain law, provisions of California’s Proposition 12 affecting pork producers would take effect in 2022.