lol what? I live in NYC and buy from small upstate farms from my butcher that only sells pastured meats... the USDA doesn't seem to be a problem for them at all
I'm not sure your example disproves OP. Your artisanal butcher can pass on any costs of compliance to you, and people like you who live in wealth-dense NYC and are willing to pay extra for pasture-raised meats. That is not true for much of the population that expects to pay $5 for a Costco rotisserie chicken.