Supreme Court Takes Up Proposition 12 Case

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will take up the National Pork Producers (NPPC) and American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) challenge to Proposition 12. The California legislation, which makes it illegal to sell pork in the state unless the pig was born from a sow housed with at least 24 square feet of space, drew criticism from farm groups after its approval in 2018. When it went into effect in January of this year, NPPC and AFBF petitioned the Supreme Court to consider constitutionality of a single state imposing regulations that impact other states.

Both organizations say they are pleased the Supreme Court is considering their case, saying Prop 12 “hamstrings farmers’ efforts to provide a safe environment for their animals, while harming small family farms and raising pork prices across the country.” The case is expected to be argued later this year, after the court begins its new term in October.

Read more on Prop 12 here.