(KERO) — A group of restaurants and grocery stores have filed a lawsuit that would block the implementation of a new California farm animal welfare law.

The law was expected to take effect New Year's Day and some fear it would cause a shortage of pigs which then would lead to a rise in the cost of pork.

California had previously decided that pork processed under the old rules could be sold next year.

The meat would have to be held in cold storage in order to be sold.