A California law approved by voters that promises to get breeding pigs out of narrow cages that prevent them from standing or turning will finally take effect.
DES MOINES, Iowa --
That's because while the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, the state recently agreed to allow pork slaughtered before July 1 to be sold in California markets and restaurants for the rest of the year. That decision gives farmers and grocery stores time to adjust. But it's exasperating to supporters of the new rules that the effective implementation of the law would again be delayed - four years after voters approved it.
But even backers of the tougher rules recognize a silver lining in the delay: Giving producers, grocers and restaurants more time to adjust will reduce the chance of shortages. Josh Balk, who led the Humane Society of the United States' campaign to pass the law, said "there's going to be a smooth transition for the pork industry."
Producers argued converting barns to comply would be costly, with standard operations paying $5 million to $15 million, said Michael Formica, a lawyer with the Iowa-based National Pork Producers Council. Larger spaces would also mean higher heating and maintenance costs.The Supreme Court upheld the law in a 5-4 ruling, with Justice Neil Gorsuch writing that "While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list.
Schilling said Coleman pays him about 5%-10% more for the hogs so he can cover his extra expenses. The family's decision to keep animals in much larger pens also paid off in a more relaxed operation for everyone - people as well as pigs. Some grocery stores in California don't anticipate too much of a disruption, but others are scrambling, even with the latest delay in the regulations, said Ronald Fong, CEO of the California Grocers Association.
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