Animal Care Program

Proposition 12, Farm Animal Confinement

Egg, Veal and Pork Producer third-party certification required by January 1, 2024.

• Review Animal Confinement Important Dates guidance document
• Review Producers tab on Guidance Documents page
• List of Certifying Agents to provide third-party certification
• Interested in becoming a certifying agent? Review guidance for certifying agent applicants

New! Prop 12 FAQ – July 1, 2023 Update

What is the Animal Care Program?

Animal Care is a new program within the Animal Health and Food Safety Services division of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Animal Care was formed after the passing of Proposition 12 (2018) to implement the law and its first task has been joint promulgation of regulations with Department of Public Health in addition to outreach and education of stakeholders.

Mission Statement:

To serve animal agriculture producers and California consumers by promoting and protecting the welfare and care of animals in agriculture in order for Californians to have access to food that is sourced from humanely and sustainably raised animals.

Background:

On November 6, 2018, California voters approved Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, which amended requirements in Chapter 13.8, sections 25990 through 25994, of the Health and Safety Code (HSC), Proposition 2 (2008). This law requires that covered animals be housed in confinement systems that comply with specific minimum standards for freedom of movement, cage-free design, and minimum floor space, and identifies covered animals to include veal calves, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens, as specified.

The law prohibits a farm owner or operator from knowingly causing any covered animal to be confined in a cruel manner, as specified, and prohibits a business owner or operator from knowingly engaging in the sale within the state of shell eggs, liquid eggs, whole pork meat or whole veal meat, as defined, from covered animals confined in a cruel manner. The complete text of the law (HSC sections 25990–25994), including confinement requirements, definitions, compliance dates, exemptions and penalties is available here: HSC 25990-25994.

Animal Confinement Regulations Finalized, effective September 1, 2022

• Full Text of Animal Confinement 3 CCR § 1320-1326
• Form 400 filing by Office of Administration of Law
• Animal Confinement Final Statement of Reasons
• Animal Confinement Initial Statement of Reasons May 28, 2021
• California Environmental Quality Act Notice of Exemption

Recent Court Rulings

• New! June 16, 2023 California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, et al. v. Ross, et al. Joint Stipulation of All Parties Requesting Further Limited Modification of February 2, 2022 Judgement
• New! May 11, 2023 National Pork Producers Council, et al. v. Ross, Secretary of The California Department of Food and Agriculture, et al. Supreme Court of The United States decision
• November 28, 2022 California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, et al. v. Ross, et al. Joint Stipulation of All Parties Requesting Modification of February 2, 2022 Judgement
• March 29, 2022 final judgement in Iowa Pork Producers Association v. Rob Bonta et al. *Appeal Pending
• February 2, 2022 final judgment in the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, et al. v. Ross, et al. case regarding enforcement of Proposition 12
• California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, et al. v. Ross, et al. Prohibitory writ of mandate *Appeal Pending