Breeder Central Showpig News
Concerning Proposition 12 (Prop 12), Showpig.com strives to provide resources to individuals who may feel disoriented and uncertain about where to begin. Upon learning about the impact of Prop 12 on show pig producers, you might find yourself overwhelmed with a wealth of information. To ensure that you, as a producer, stay well-informed and educated, we have recently engaged in a conversation with an established show pig operation regarding their recent experience with the auditing/certification process.
Kyle and Ellen Knauth of Knauth Showpigs generously shared their insights into the certification process and their experience. While the certification process is generally straightforward, their input helped alleviate any uncertainties by clearly explaining the processes involved.
Showpig: Why did you choose to have your operation audited?
Knauth: Although we don’t live in California, we sell quite a few pigs either through online auctions or private treaty sales to exhibitors in the state. Because of this, we felt it was necessary to have our operation audited and compliant with Prop 12 mandates to continue serving our customers. We are grateful to sell pigs across the country and decided this was a hurdle worth jumping.
Showpig: What steps did you take to find an auditor/where did you find one?
Knauth: One of our California customers initiated the conversation with the company that performed our audit. We started with an email and within a few weeks of initial contact, we had an auditor on the farm, measuring pens and counting sows.
Showpig: How did you prepare for your audit?
Knauth: We were sent an application to fill out before the on-farm audit took place. It asked for basic information, including the size of the operation, the number of animals, and rough measurements of sow housing. We also had to show records of dates sows go into farrowing crates, when they farrow, and when they are weaned and moved into open pens. A record of sales to California was also provided to show the chain of custody of animals sold to the state. We also created a map of our operation so the auditor could understand our facilities and easily measure the barn space.
Showpig: What did your audit consist of?
Knauth: The on-farm audit took about an hour. The auditor walked through all of our sow housing. He measured each pen and counted the number of sows in the pen to ensure each had the mandatory 24 sq. foot. He also noted if we had pens available to house sick or injured animals for short periods.
Showpig: What adjustments did you have to make on your operation to become Prop 12 compliant?
Knauth: We haven’t had to make any adjustments; everything was compliant as is. We don’t have our paperwork back yet, so this could change once we get that. Overall, many show pig producers have smaller farms compared to commercial producers and likely may already be Prop 12 compliant, opening up an opportunity to sell pigs in the state of California.
Showpig: How will this improve the function of your operation/business?
Knauth: We feel like this was a must to continue to provide pigs to youth and breeders in California. We don’t feel like we will have any improvements, but we also will not have any setbacks from not doing it.
Resources Available for Show Pig Producers
From our understanding, the certification process is straightforward. It includes a brief visit to your facility for a condition assessment. The essential preparatory step is to complete the required paperwork, providing proof of record-keeping and a detailed map of your operation.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture offers free auditing services for those in California. Out-of-state operators may need to hire an independent auditor, which could incur fees.
In an effort to continue to support you as you navigate evolving regulations, we have supplied a few links to guide you in initiating the auditing process.
If you have additional information regarding Proposition 12 or resources that you, as a show pig producer, utilized to become certified, please send them to sales@showpig.com. Be sure to read part one of this two-part series, “How Prop-12 Affects You As A Show Pig Producer.