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May 17, 2026

They Have Failed Repeatedly!': Supreme Court Steps In and Issues 5-4 Ruling in Closely Watched Case Involving Pork...

Washington, D.C. - May 17, 2026

Supreme Court Delivers 5-4 Ruling Upholding California’s Animal Welfare Law for Pork Sold in State

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued a 5-4 decision affirming a California law on animal welfare enacted by state voters in 2018. The measure, known as Proposition 12, mandates specific humane standards for the housing of breeding pigs, egg-laying hens, and calves raised for veal sold by businesses operating within the state.

In an opinion authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the Court dismissed a challenge brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation. The industry groups had argued that the law violates the Constitution by effectively regulating out-of-state farming practices, given that the vast majority of pork production occurs outside California.

“Although the Constitution encompasses numerous significant matters, the specific variety of pork chops that California merchants are permitted to sell is not among them,” Gorsuch wrote. “Petitioners urge us to prioritize audacity over prudence.”

The majority opinion noted that the challengers had repeatedly failed to persuade Congress to enact uniform national standards under its Commerce Clause authority. The Court rejected arguments that the law constituted an unconstitutional burden on interstate commerce under the dormant Commerce Clause doctrine, which limits states from enacting laws that discriminate against or unduly burden interstate commerce.

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