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Georgia signs onto brief in Massachusetts pork lawsuit

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has signed onto a brief in opposition to a Massachusetts law that seeks to regulate pork production nationwide. If upheld, this statute will impose costly mandates on out-of-state pig farmers – burdening the interstate pork market and increasing prices for all Americans. Carr and 23 other state attorneys general are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case and ultimately block enforcement of the law.

“This is an unconstitutional mandate that will only lead to higher costs for farmers and consumers, and we’re asking the Supreme Court to put a stop to this nonsense once and for all,” Carr said. “We will always fight for our state’s No. 1 industry.”

The Massachusetts law, also known as “Question 3,” bans the sale and transportation of any pork that was produced in violation of the state’s hog housing requirements. Even if Georgia-produced pork meets all Georgia and federal safety and quality standards, that pork cannot be sold or transported in Massachusetts if it does not meet the Massachusetts mandate.

In addition to Carr, the attorneys general of the following states have also joined in filing this Iowa-led brief: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Meanwhile, a movement in Oregon, Initiative Petition 28 (IP28) received enough support to put legislation detrimental to animal agriculture up for a public vote there. The ballot initiative aims to remove a wide range of exemptions to prosecution for animal cruelty, including livestock slaughter, hunter and fishing. For detailed information about IP28 from the National Agricultural Law Center, click here.

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