Triumph Foods has filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts Federal Court challenging Question #3 (Act To Prevent Cruelty To Farm Animals) that is scheduled for implementation in late August. The ballot initiative paralleling California Proposition #12 was approved in 2016. Triumph Foods is joined in their action by five major pork producers and a group of farmer associations. In May, the constitutionality of Proposition #12 was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Matt England, President and CEO of Triumph Foods, stated, “Discriminatory trade restrictions like Q3 and Prop.12 affect the ability to build resilient, reliable food supply chains across the United States.” He added, “They also hurt many small businesses, employees, consumers and government-funded agencies. Free and fair interstate commerce is vital for the economic prosperity of our country.”
Irrespective of the outcome of the specific case involving Q3 that will have implications for New England states, food distributers, supermarket chains and restaurant groups have committed to sourcing pork from sows that are held under group housing in accordance with Proposition #12.