Farm Animal Cruelty - - CA Health And Safety

Section § 25990

This law makes it illegal for farm owners or operators in California to confine animals in a cruel way. It also prohibits business owners from selling certain animal products, like veal, pork, shell eggs, and liquid eggs, if they come from animals that were treated cruelly. The rule applies to products from animals confined in a manner that is considered inhumane by the operator or owner.

Prohibitions.In addition to other applicable provisions of law:

(a) A farm owner or operator within the state shall not knowingly cause any covered animal to be confined in a cruel manner.

(b) A business owner or operator shall not knowingly engage in the sale within the state of any of the following:

(1) Whole veal meat that the business owner or operator knows or should know is the meat of a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner.

(2) Whole pork meat that the business owner or operator knows or should know is the meat of a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner, or is the meat of immediate offspring of a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner.

(3) Shell egg that the business owner or operator knows or should know is the product of a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner.

(4) Liquid eggs that the business owner or operator knows or should know are the product of a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner.

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(Amended November 6, 2018, by initiative Proposition 12, Sec. 3. Effective December 19, 2018.)

Section § 25991

This section defines terms related to animal farming and treatment for the purposes of the chapter. It explains what constitutes a 'breeding pig', 'calf raised for veal', 'covered animal', and 'egg-laying hen'. It also describes what 'cage-free housing systems' are for hens, which ensure hens can move freely and exhibit natural behaviors. The law outlines what it means for animals to be 'confined in a cruel manner', setting minimum space requirements for calves, pigs, and hens. Additionally, the section defines terms related to sales of animal products, such as 'pork meat', 'veal meat', 'shell egg', 'liquid eggs', and 'whole pork/veal meat'.

Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Breeding pig” means any female pig of the porcine species kept for the purpose of commercial breeding who is six months or older or pregnant.

(b) “Business owner or operator” means any person who owns or controls the operations of a business.

(c) “Cage-free housing system” means an indoor or outdoor controlled environment for egg-laying hens within which hens are free to roam unrestricted; are provided enrichments that allow them to exhibit natural behaviors, including, at a minimum, scratch areas, perches, nest boxes, and dust bathing areas; and within which farm employees can provide care while standing within the hens’ usable floorspace. Cage-free housing systems include, to the extent they comply with the requirements of this subdivision, the following:

(1) Multitiered aviaries, in which hens have access to multiple elevated platforms that provide hens with usable floorspace both on top of and underneath the platforms.

(2) Partially slatted systems, in which hens have access to elevated flat platforms under which manure drops through the flooring to a pit or litter removal belt below.

(3) Single-level all-litter floor systems bedded with litter, in which hens have limited or no access to elevated flat platforms.

(4) Any future systems that comply with the requirements of this subdivision.

(d) “Calf raised for veal” means any calf of the bovine species kept for the purpose of producing the food product described as veal.

(e) “Confined in a cruel manner” means any one of the following acts:

(1) Confining a covered animal in a manner that prevents the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending the animal’s limbs, or turning around freely.

(2) After December 31, 2019, confining a calf raised for veal with less than 43 square feet of usable floorspace per calf.

(3) After December 31, 2021, confining a breeding pig with less than 24 square feet of usable floorspace per pig.

(4) After December 31, 2019, confining an egg-laying hen with less than 144 square inches of usable floorspace per hen.

(5) After December 31, 2021, confining an egg-laying hen with less than the amount of usable floorspace per hen required by the 2017 edition of the United Egg Producers’ Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg-Laying Flocks: Guidelines for Cage-Free Housing or in an enclosure other than a cage-free housing system.

(f) “Covered animal” means any calf raised for veal, breeding pig, or egg-laying hen who is kept on a farm.

(g) “Egg-laying hen” means any female domesticated chicken, turkey, duck, goose, or guineafowl kept for the purpose of egg production.

(h) “Enclosure” means a structure used to confine a covered animal or animals.

(i) “Farm” means the land, building, support facilities, and other equipment that are wholly or partially used for the commercial production of animals or animal products used for food or fiber; and does not include live animal markets, establishments at which mandatory inspection is provided under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 601 et seq.), or official plants at which mandatory inspection is maintained under the federal Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 1031 et seq.).

(j) “Farm owner or operator” means any person who owns or controls the operations of a farm.

(k) “Fully extending the animal’s limbs” means fully extending all limbs without touching the side of an enclosure, or another animal.

(l) “Liquid eggs” means eggs of an egg-laying hen broken from the shells, intended for human food, with the yolks and whites in their natural proportions, or with the yolks and whites separated, mixed, or mixed and strained. Liquid eggs do not include combination food products, including pancake mixes, cake mixes, cookies, pizzas, cookie dough, ice cream, or similar processed or prepared food products, that are comprised of more than liquid eggs, sugar, salt, water, seasoning, coloring, flavoring, preservatives, stabilizers, and similar food additives.

(m) “Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, or syndicate.

(n) “Pork meat” means meat, as defined in Section 900 of Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations as of August 2017, of a pig of the porcine species, intended for use as human food.

(o) “Sale” means a commercial sale by a business that sells any item covered by this chapter, but does not include any sale undertaken at an establishment at which mandatory inspection is provided under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 601 et seq.), or any sale undertaken at an official plant at which mandatory inspection is maintained under the federal Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 1031 et seq.). For purposes of this section, a sale shall be deemed to occur at the location where the buyer takes physical possession of an item covered by Section 25990.

(p) “Shell egg” means a whole egg of an egg-laying hen in its shell form, intended for use as human food.

(q) “Turning around freely” means turning in a complete circle without any impediment, including a tether, and without touching the side of an enclosure or another animal.

(r) “Uncooked” means requiring cooking prior to human consumption.

(s) “Usable floorspace” means the total square footage of floorspace provided to each covered animal, as calculated by dividing the total square footage of floorspace provided to the animals in an enclosure by the number of animals in that enclosure. In the case of egg-laying hens, usable floorspace shall include both groundspace and elevated level flat platforms upon which hens can roost, but shall not include perches or ramps.

(t) “Veal meat” means meat, as defined in Section 900 of Title 3 of the California Code of Regulations as of August 2017, of a calf raised for veal intended for use as human food.

(u) “Whole pork meat” means any uncooked cut of pork, including bacon, ham, chop, ribs, riblet, loin, shank, leg, roast, brisket, steak, sirloin, or cutlet, that is comprised entirely of pork meat, except for seasoning, curing agents, coloring, flavoring, preservatives, and similar meat additives. Whole pork meat does not include combination food products, including soups, sandwiches, pizzas, hotdogs, or similar processed or prepared food products, that are comprised of more than pork meat, seasoning, curing agents, coloring, flavoring, preservatives, and similar meat additives.

(v) “Whole veal meat” means any uncooked cut of veal, including chop, ribs, riblet, loin, shank, leg, roast, brisket, steak, sirloin, or cutlet, that is comprised entirely of veal meat, except for seasoning, curing agents, coloring, flavoring, preservatives, and similar meat additives. Whole veal meat does not include combination food products, including soups, sandwiches, pizzas, hotdogs, or similar processed or prepared food products, that are comprised of more than veal meat, seasoning, curing agents, coloring, flavoring, preservatives, and similar meat additives.

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(Amended November 6, 2018, by initiative Proposition 12, Sec. 4. Effective December 19, 2018.)

Section § 25992

This section outlines specific situations where certain regulations do not apply. The exceptions include activities like medical research, veterinary treatment, transportation, and various exhibitions such as rodeos and fairs. It also exempts the slaughter of animals if done humanely, certain breeding pig activities, and temporary animal husbandry practices.

Exceptions. This chapter shall not apply:

(a) During medical research.

(b) During examination, testing, individual treatment, or operation for veterinary purposes.

(d) During rodeo exhibitions, state or county fair exhibitions, 4-H programs, and similar exhibitions.

(e) During the slaughter of a covered animal in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 19501) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to humane methods of slaughter, and other applicable law and regulations.

(f) To a breeding pig during the five-day period prior to the breeding pig’s expected date of giving birth, and any day that the breeding pig is nursing piglets.

(g) During temporary periods for animal husbandry purposes for no more than six hours in any 24-hour period, and no more than 24 hours total in any 30-day period.

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(Amended November 6, 2018, by initiative Proposition 12, Sec. 5. Effective December 19, 2018.)

Section § 25993

This law section outlines how California will enforce rules against animal cruelty and selling products from cruelly confined animals. The state's Food and Agriculture and Public Health departments need to create rules by September 1, 2019. Violating the law can lead to a misdemeanor charge, with penalties up to a $1,000 fine, 180 days in jail, or both.

Additionally, breaking this law is also considered unfair competition, which is subject to other business-related penalties. Lastly, these rules take precedence over any other conflicting regulations that are already in place.

Enforcement. (a) The Department of Food and Agriculture and the State Department of Public Health shall jointly promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this act by September 1, 2019.

(b) Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed 180 days or by both such fine and imprisonment. In addition, a violation of subdivision (b) of Section 25990 constitutes unfair competition, as defined in Section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code, and is punishable as prescribed in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17200) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code.

(c) The provisions of this chapter relating to cruel confinement of covered animals and sale of products shall supersede any conflicting regulations, including conflicting regulations in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 40601) of Subdivision 6 of Division 2 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

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(Amended November 6, 2018, by initiative Proposition 12, Sec. 6. Effective December 19, 2018.)

Section § 25993.1

This law provides a defense for businesses facing charges related to the sale of certain animal products. If a business owner relied on a written certification from their supplier that the animal products (veal, pork, shell eggs, or liquid eggs) did not come from animals confined cruelly, they can use this as a defense in legal actions.

It shall be a defense to any action to enforce subdivision (b) of Section 25990 that a business owner or operator relied in good faith upon a written certification by the supplier that the whole veal meat, whole pork meat, shell egg, or liquid eggs at issue was not derived from a covered animal who was confined in a cruel manner, or from the immediate offspring of a breeding pig who was confined in a cruel manner.

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(Added November 6, 2018, by initiative Proposition 12, Sec. 7. Effective December 19, 2018.)

Section § 25994

This law states that the rules in this chapter enhance existing animal welfare laws rather than replace them. It specifically mentions that it does not limit other state laws or regulations aimed at protecting animals. Additionally, local authorities can create and enforce their own animal welfare laws.

Construction of Chapter.

The provisions of this chapter are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare, including the California Penal Code. This chapter shall not be construed to limit any state law or regulations protecting the welfare of animals, nor shall anything in this chapter prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.

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(Added November 4, 2008, by initiative Proposition 2, Sec. 3. Operative January 1, 2015, by Sec. 5 of Prop. 2.)