Narrow gestation crates, formerly used by Jared Schilling on his sow farm, are seen Thursday, June 29, 2023, in Walsh, Ill. Schilling no longer uses the crates after making his farm compliant with a California law, taking effect on July 1, that promises to get breeding pigs out of narrow cages that restrict their movement.
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A California law approved by voters in 2018 that promises to get breeding pigs out of narrow cages will technically take effect Saturday. That's after years of delays, and warnings that the rules could lead to price spikes and pork shortages. But even after the law goes into effect, California grocery shoppers won't know for a while if pork chops they buy came from a pig whose mother was confined in a tiny crate. That’s because the state recently agreed to allow pork slaughtered before July 1 to be sold in California markets and restaurants for the rest of the year. The pork and grocery industries welcomed the move, but others expressed exasperation at another delay.