Supreme Court declines to hear Iowa pork producers’ case against California law

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear Iowa Pork Producers Association’s case against a California law that mandates the amount of space livestock animals, in particular hogs, have while being raised.

The Supreme Court has ruled on a previous case in favor of upholding the California law, which opponents argue puts an unfair burden on pork producers by impacting their ability to sell to the state.

The IPPA lawsuit argued Proposition 12, which voters approved in 2018, imposed excessive burdens on interstate commerce and discriminated against out-of-state farmers.

The case was heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which ruled in June 2024, in favor of California. IPPA filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the decision, which is the petition the court denied Monday.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led more than 20 attorneys general from other ag-producing states on an amici curiae in support of the IPPA appeal to the Supreme Court.

Bird said in a statement Monday she was disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision.

“Laws like this hurt Iowa’s rural communities and make it more difficult for Americans to enjoy the world-class pork products they have come to love and expect out of our state,” Bird said.

Bird said she would continue to fight against similar laws, including a Massachusetts law against which the attorney general also led an amici curiae with other states, urging for an appeal.