American Meat and Egg Distributors Now California-Ready with NSF’s Prop 12 Certification

ANN ARBOR, MI (April 12, 2024) – NSF, the leading global public health and safety organization, is now offering California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12) certification for American meat and egg distributors distributing products in the state of California.

Prop 12 is an animal welfare law from California that sets higher standards for confining certain farm animals. The law was enacted on January 1, 2024, making Prop 12 certification critical for distributors operating in the lucrative Western market, as it ensures their compliance with Californian animal welfare standards.

In 2023, NSF also received approval from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to offer Prop 12 certification to British pork farmers in the UK as the only Red Tractor Certification Body for pork in the country.

“NSF recently conducted research that demonstrated that the ethical treatment of animals is now a fundamental concern for consumers, with nearly 70% of Americans saying that animal wellness plays an important role in purchasing decisions,” said Dr. Elaine Vanier, a veterinarian and the animal wellness program lead for NSF. “Receiving approval from the CDFA for both meat and egg distributors in America and pig farmers in the UK allows us to provide international support to the animal products industry while increasing access to safe and traceable meat and eggs across the United States.”

Certification to Prop 12 involves an application process, onsite inspection and corrections of any deficiencies identified in the certification process. Upon certification, meat and egg distributors are approved to sell the certified products to suppliers and retailers in California.

“NSF’s Prop 12 certification means that American meat and egg distributors can now access the Californian market with greater confidence,” said Suzanne Barkley, Director of Food Supply Chain Certification at NSF. “This aligns perfectly with NSF’s mission to improve and protect human health, as healthier animals mean safer, higher quality products for consumers.”

As a trusted name in the industry, NSF emphasizes the importance of animal wellness as part of its broader commitment to public health. NSF also offers certifications to Raised Without Antibiotics, the only independent certification mark that assures consumers animal products were produced without exposure to antibiotics, and the Global Animal Wellness Standards, a comprehensive framework that ensures wellness for the entire lifespan of animals throughout the protein supply chain.