California to have ‘very active black market for pork’

May 29, 2023

At the beginning of July, all pork products sold in California must meet Prop 12 requirements, unless efforts to delay—which are already happening—are successful. If unsuccessful, Steve Meyer, lead economist at Partners for Production Agriculture, told Global Hog Industry Virtual Conference (GHIVC) attendees that two channels of pork into the state will likely emerge: one that is compliant, and one that is not.

“It all depends on how effective they are at enforcing the law,” he said. “There’s going to be a very active black market in California for pork. It’s got a big border, and you can probably get it into small retailers.”

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Video: PRRS Eradication Strategies - Dr. DeBuse and Dr. Tousignant

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Neil DeBuse from Kalmbach Feeds and Dr. Steve Tousignant from Vaxxinova US discuss PRRS management strategies, recombination risks, whole genome sequencing, and the role of autogenous immunization programs in swine systems. They highlight practical approaches to improving immunity, reducing outbreaks, and advancing PRRS control across production systems. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Being PRRS negative sooner is a real key for eradication because every additional positive week increases production losses and viral exposure risks." - Dr. Neil DeBuse

Meet the guest: Dr. Neil DeBuse is a veterinarian at Kalmbach Feeds with more than 30 years of experience in swine health and production. His work focuses on PRRS control, biosecurity, immunity, and improving production stability across commercial swine systems in the United States and internationally.

Dr. Steve Tousignant is Director of the Swine Business Unit and Technical Services Veterinarian at Vaxxinova US, with a DVM and PhD from the University of Minnesota. His experience combines epidemiology, technical services, and practical immunization strategies designed to support consistent herd performance and long-term production stability. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the Swine Inner Circle!