Illinois Farmer Speaks out on Prop 12’s Consequences

Chad Leman Explains Why California’s Prop 12 Rules Affects Farmers Across the Nation

Chad Leman, a corn and hog farmer from Eureka, IL is speaking out on the far-reaching effects of California’s Proposition 12—a law that changes how Midwestern farmers do business.

Proposition 12, enacted in California, mandates strict animal housing requirements for any pork sold in their state, even if it’s raised somewhere else. For farmers like Leman, that means deciding if he should change sow housing practices just to maintain market access—despite being hundreds of miles from California.

These changes would decrease hog capacity by 40%, meaning less corn being fed to pigs. California’s law affects Midwestern pork producers as the state makes up around 15% of the pork market.

Check out Chad Leman’s story to hear a cause worth fighting for.

Illinois Pork Producers and IL Corn will continue to advocate farmers so that a law in one state cannot control the entire country’s farming practices.