Congresswoman Simon and Reps. Costa, Lofgren Urge Democratic Leadership to Protect California’s Prop 12, Advocate for Agricultural and Animal Welfare Standards

WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) led a coalition of California members urging House Democratic leadership to oppose any Farm Bill provisions that would overturn or weaken California's Proposition 12, a voter-approved animal welfare law.

Approved by California voters in 2018, California's Prop 12 set minimum space and housing requirements for pigs, hens, and veal calves and banned the sale of products from animals kept in smaller spaces. The law has since been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, affirming states' authority to set such standards.

The members are calling on leadership to reject any language that would preempt state standards like Proposition 12, arguing that such provisions would override the will of millions of Californians and states' rights, penalize farmers and producers who have already invested to comply, and degrade human agriculture standards.

"More than 7.5 million Californians voted in favor of Proposition 12, and Congress should not use the Farm Bill to override that clear will of the voters," said the Members. "The law has been upheld by the Supreme Court, and the market has already adapted. A federal override now would punish farmers and producers who followed the rules and create even more uncertainty. We urge Democratic leadership to reject any effort to undermine this law."

Read the full letter HERE.

The members also emphasized that previous efforts to overturn state animal welfare laws have been blocked and urged leadership to continue that approach.

Congresswoman Simon, alongside Reps. Costa and Jim McGovern (D-MA-02) previously led 182 Democratic members in sending a letter to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN-02) opposing legislation that would undermine Prop 12.

###