Quebec-based DuBreton farms has announced that it is now California Animal Care Program Certified.

Nov 13, 2023

Canadian swine producer surpasses Prop 12 requirements

California’s controversial Proposition 12, known as prop 12, requires that swine livestock producers restrict gestation crate usage, and says that each sow must have 24 square feet of space.

“Today, we reach another step forward, since we are not just compliant, but fully audited and ready for California’s Proposition 12, which goes into effect on January 1st, 2024.” shared Vincent Breton, CEO.

DuBreton farms is a fourth generation farming operation that has raised crate-free pigs since 2003.

Unlike DuBreton, many US and Canadian farmers say they won’t be making changes on their farms to become compliant.

For many farmers the issue is that the Prop 12 and similar laws in Massachusetts and New Jersey will force swine producers to make their barn sizes larger, or reduce the number of sows in their herd to be able to give the required 24 square feet of space.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.