Massachusetts backs animal welfare plan in election-day vote

The new rules, which passed muster by 78% to 22%, are set to be phased in, before going into full effect in 2022. The incoming law will also outlaw the use of so-called battery cages by Massachusetts farmers and ban the sale of eggs produced by hens confined to these cages. Opponents in this largely non-agricultural state have derided the measure as unnecessary and argued that the new rules would raise food bills to the detriment of low-income families. They also argue that they restrictions would violate the US Constitution by trying to regulate interstate commerce via a state law. Animal welfare not trumped “ We weren’t terribly surprised by the results of the referendum, ” said Bradley Mitchell, deputy executive director of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, who argued that the state’s meat industry would not, generally, have to change its production practices as a result of the law. “ As is the case in many other aspects of the recent election , we need to look forward instead of backwards, ” he added, arguing that the experts administering the rules needed to come from the veterinary community and from local communities themselves. “ We’re fine sitting down with local people. They need to be part of the perspective, ” he said. “ But we don’t want any national ag groups involved. ” Science-based agenda needed In addition, Mitchell, whose group did not aggressively campaign against the proposal, said he was concerned about steps that animal rights groups might take next to produce a “ 2.0 version ” of the regulations and move US agricultural practices closer to those mandated by the European Union (EU). “ Having an agenda isn’t a bad thing in-and-of-itself but it needs to be based on science not emotion, ” he told GlobalMeatNews . And, commenting on the animal rights groups, he predicted: “ They’re going to be back. ” For their part, the animal protection groups that successfully pushed the Massachusetts referendum, said they were relishing their victory, in the vote that took place on Tuesday 8 October. “ It’s a historic advancement for animal welfare , ” said Paul Shapiro, vice-president of policy at the Humane Society of the United States, the main backer of the measure: “ To have an entire state declare that cruelty to farm animals is such a pressing matter that it is establishing a retail standard to ensure animals are able to at least engage in basic movement really sends a powerful signal. ”

Massachusetts backs animal welfare plan in election-day vote

The US state of Massachusetts has voted in favour of a statewide ban on the sale of pork products or veal from animals that cannot turn around or stretch their limbs within their cages.

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