Massachusetts Implements New Regulations for Pork Sales

A new Massachusetts law prohibiting the sale of pork from pigs housed in cramped conditions is set to take effect on August 24, nearly seven years after voters approved the measure. However, a compromise joint motion between state regulators and industry groups allows for a six-month grace period for the enforcement of restrictions on "transshipped" pork meat, which passes through Massachusetts on its way to other states. The already-drafted regulations require pigs to have enough space to move freely, and Massachusetts businesses cannot sell whole pork meat derived from animals denied that space. A group of pork producers has filed a lawsuit challenging the law, arguing that the minimum size requirements are inconsistent with industry practices and will impose substantial burdens on farmers and processors.