đ The Great California Pork Crackdown
- ketogenicfasting
- Jan 11, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: May 15
The Aporkalypse Is Now
đ Hopefully, you had your last bite of Christmas hamâbecause if you live in California, it may be your last bite for good.
While crime surges đš, homelessness grows đ§, and wildfires rage đ„, California has chosen a curious new priority: pork. đ„đ
On January 1st, 2022, a new law quietly kicked in that may soon make bacon, ham, and sausage an endangered species in the Golden State.

đłïž The Birth of Prop 12
Back in 2018, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 12âa well-meaning but controversial animal welfare law requiring that animals raised for meat sold in California be given more space to move. Specifically, pigs must now have at least 24 square feet of living spaceâenough to turn around đ·. Chickens and veal calves were already phased in. Now itâs porkâs turn.
The catch? Only 4%Â of U.S. hog farms currently meet these standards.
đ„ The âAporkalypseâ Is Real
The headlines said it best:
âPeople Are Panicking About a Potential Pork Crisis.â
Industry leaders have even dubbed it the âAporkalypse.â Why? Because California consumes 15% of all U.S. pork, but produces less than 20% of what it uses. Most pork comes from states like Iowa, and farmers there havenât compliedâmainly due to the 15% increase in per-animal costs, the need for new infrastructure, and the absence of clear regulatory guidance from California.
Result? Pork supply in California could disappear virtually overnight, and bacon prices may skyrocket by 60% or more. đ„đž
đ§ââïž Lawsuits, Loopholes & the Supreme Court
Unsurprisingly, the National Pork Producers Council, along with the American Farm Bureau Federation, and a coalition of California restaurants and grocers, have taken legal action. After losing in state court, they're now petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that California has no right to dictate production standards to other statesâa legal concept known as extraterritoriality. đïž
Theyâre also invoking the Dormant Commerce Clause, which says Congress alone controls interstate commerceâeven if itâs doing nothing at all. đ€đ
Meanwhile, industry groups have pleaded with Governor Gavin Newsom to delay implementation, hoping at least to sell pork already in the supply chain to buy more time.
đœïž A Cultural Gut Punch
At Comfort Keto, weâre concerned. Many of our Asian- and Hispanic-inspired dishes feature pork as a primary protein. đ„ąđź These communities make up a significant portion of Californiaâs populationâand pork is a cornerstone of their traditional cuisine. Taking pork off the table doesnât just affect brunch menusâit affects cultural identity.
đ« What Prop 12 Doesn't Do
While Prop 12 sets standards for animal comfort, itâs silent on another major concern: worker safety. Slaughterhouse and processing plant conditions remain unaddressedâraising eyebrows about the lawâs true priorities.
Final Thoughts: Ideals vs. Reality đâïž
In a state as large and influential as California, laws like Prop 12 have the power to shift national industry standardsâwhether the rest of the country wants them or not. But this time, voters may soon learn what it means to pay for your ideals at the grocery store checkout.
đ„ Better start rationing that bacon.
See this in depth article about the court cases in process published by Idyllwild Town Crier on Jan. 4, 2022
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