Get ready to pay more for bacon as new slaughterhouse laws impact prices

In a move to improve the lives of farm animals and curtail the pork industry’s controversial practices, California and Massachusetts are bracing for a surge in bacon and pork chop prices. These states have taken pioneering steps to enforce laws that ensure the humane treatment of pigs, but the journey toward implementation has been fraught with legal battles.

Protect hog. Bacon pays the price

Massachusetts voters approved Question 3 in 2016, and Californians followed suit with Proposition 12 in 2018, both designed to provide more humane conditions for hogs. However, both states found themselves entangled in protracted legal disputes, which were finally resolved. Thus the price of bacon will be impacted.

Massachusetts’ law is set to take effect in late October, following a 60-day extension granted by the courts from the original August 23rd start date. Meanwhile, California’s law, which recently withstood a Supreme Court challenge, is poised to come into force on January 1st.

According to Alex Cerussi, the senior state policy manager at Mercy for Animals, these laws “prohibit some of the cruellest practices for farmed animals.” The heart of these initiatives lies in their ban on gestation pens, a practice vehemently opposed by animal rights activists. This ban applies to hogs raised or pork sold within the borders of both states. Given California’s significant consumption of pork, amounting to 13% of all U.S. pork, as affirmed by a Supreme Court ruling, the impact of these laws extends far beyond state lines.

As these new regulations come into play, pork products that no longer meet the humane standards required by California and Massachusetts will be redirected to other states. This temporary oversupply will likely lead to a brief dip in pork prices across the nation before prices steadily climb again, according to experts.

While numerous factors influence the direction of meat prices, research suggests that Proposition 12 will play a pivotal role in driving up pork prices. A study conducted in 2021 by the University of California Davis predicted an 8% increase in pork prices within the Golden State as a direct result of this legislation.

As these humane slaughterhouse laws finally come into effect, consumers may pay a premium for pork, but the price may be a step towards a more ethical and humane future for the industry.

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