Farmers: Animal welfare ballot initiative would mean higher prices

STATE HOUSE — The ballot initiative seeking to eliminate the "extreme confinement" and "lifelong immobilization" of farm animals is unnecessary and would lead to a sharp rise in food prices for Massachusetts residents, the head of a state farmers association said. "The people of Massachusetts have to understand that this is not about animal welfare, it's about the elimination of their right to eat meat and making their meat so expensive or animal products so expensive and trying to force them t

STATE HOUSE — The ballot initiative seeking to eliminate the "extreme confinement" and "lifelong immobilization" of farm animals is unnecessary and would lead to a sharp rise in food prices for Massachusetts residents, the head of a state farmers association said. "The people of Massachusetts have to understand that this is not about animal welfare, it's about the elimination of their right to eat meat and making their meat so expensive or animal products so expensive and trying to force them t…