Latest news with #IowaPorkProducersAssociation
The Herald Scotland
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Supreme Court rejects challenge to California's animal-welfare law
Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he would have taken the case. The Iowa Pork Producers Association argued the law discriminates against out-of-state producers, a claim based on a legal standard about when state laws overly restrict interstate commerce. The Supreme Court in 2023 dismissed another challenge to California's law made by the National Pork Producers Council that likewise relied on that standard. But the Iowa pork farmers hoped that the fractured way the justices reached that 5-4 decision would give them an opening. At issue was a 2018 ballot initiative, Proposition 12, that bans the sale of pork products in California unless the sow from which the butchered pig was born was housed in at least 24 square feet of floor space. Iowa pork producers contend California gave its own farmers an unfair lead time to meet the new rules. California said it doesn't have enough pork farmers for Iowa to claim the state engaged in protectionism. And much of the out-of-state pork industry moved quickly to comply with California's rules so it could sell its products there, lawyers for the state said in filings. In the court's 2023 opinion, the justices in the majority had different reasons for dismissing that earlier challenge. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion, said the law treats California and out-of-state pork farmers equally. "Companies that choose to sell products in various states must normally comply with the laws of those various states," Gorsuch wrote for the majority. "While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list."
The Hill
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Kavanaugh objects as Supreme Court turns away California pig welfare law challenge
The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a second bite at the apple to review California's law requiring pork sold in the state to come from pigs raised with sufficient living space. Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicated he would've taken up the case, but neither he nor the majority explained their reasoning, as is typical. Two years ago, the court upheld the law in response to a challenge from national pork and farmers groups. But those groups conceded certain legal arguments, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association hoped to pick up the mantle. Passed by California voters in 2018, Proposition 12 prohibits pork sold in the state if the breeding pig had less than 24 square feet of usable floor space. Industry groups say the law effectively requires farmers nationwide to comply given California's size, and they've also criticized the standard as arbitrary. The legal challenge concerns a doctrine rooted in the Constitution's command that Congress holds the power to regulate interstate commerce. Known as the dormant Commerce Clause, the doctrine restricts states from impeding that power by discriminating purposefully against out-of-state economic interests. In the previous case, however, the challengers didn't argue that Proposition 12 discriminated against other states. They explicitly conceded the argument before the court, instead advancing more aggressive theories that the justices rejected in a fractured decision. The new case provided the court a second bite at the apple, but they declined it. The Iowa-based group advanced a discrimination claim that revolves around an earlier animal welfare measure that applies to California farmers only. That measure gave the in-state farmers six years to comply, but Proposition 12 gave out-of-state farmers less than six weeks. 'If issues of 'morality' can drive the regulation of out-of-state industry (as was supposedly the case with Proposition 12), why couldn't future regulation be based on minimum wage policies of sister States, or employees' immigration status, or any other hot-button social issue of the day? The Framers prohibited precisely this type of discriminatory and overly onerous out-of-state regulation,' the pork association wrote in its petition. The group is represented by law firms Husch Blackwell and Brick Gentry. California urged the court to turn away the challenge, saying the earlier groups conceded the argument because 'it lacks any merit.' 'Proposition 12 enacts a neutral sales restriction that treats in-state and outof-state farmers the same,' the state wrote in court filings.
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Supreme Court won't hear pig farmers' challenge to California's animal-welfare law
WASHINGTON − Bacon and pork chops are not back on the menu at the Supreme Court. The high court on June 30 rejected another challenge to California's controversial animal-welfare law, two years after narrowly upholding the state's requirements on the sale of pork products. Justice Brett Kavanaugh said he would have taken the case. The Iowa Pork Producers Association argued the law discriminates against out-of-state producers, a claim based on a legal standard about when state laws overly restrict interstate commerce. The Supreme Court in 2023 dismissed another challenge to California's law made by the National Pork Producers Council that likewise relied on that standard. But the Iowa pork farmers hoped that the fractured way the justices reached that 5-4 decision would give them an opening. At issue was a 2018 ballot initiative, Proposition 12, that bans the sale of pork products in California unless the sow from which the butchered pig was born was housed in at least 24 square feet of floor space. Iowa pork producers contend California gave its own farmers an unfair lead time to meet the new rules. California said it doesn't have enough pork farmers for Iowa to claim the state engaged in protectionism. And much of the out-of-state pork industry moved quickly to comply with California's rules so it could sell its products there, lawyers for the state said in filings. In the court's 2023 opinion, the justices in the majority had different reasons for dismissing that earlier challenge. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who wrote the majority opinion, said the law treats California and out-of-state pork farmers equally. "Companies that choose to sell products in various states must normally comply with the laws of those various states," Gorsuch wrote for the majority. "While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JBS to invest $135m in new US sausage plant, creating 500 jobs
Meat giant JBS is to invest $135m in a new sausage plant in Iowa through its US subsidiary, creating 500 jobs on completion. The company expects construction to start at the Perry site late this year and to complete in late 2026. Brazil-headquartered JBS said in a statement today (29 May) that the facility will produce some 130m lbs of sausage each year from processing around 500,000 sows. In the first phase, the plant will employ 250 workers in one shift and the company plans to double the staff count and introduce a second shift in the future. "This output can feed more than four million people nationwide annually, helping meet growing consumer demand for high-quality protein," JBS said. Wesley Batista Filho, the CEO of the US business unit, added: "This investment underscores our commitment to rural America and our confidence in the strength of the US market. We plan to be a long-term partner for Perry and, if approved by the community, the facility will help foster job creation and economic stability in the region." Aaron Juergens, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said in the same statement: "We're excited to see continued investment in Iowa's pork industry with the proposed opening of this new processing facility. 'It strengthens our state's leadership in pork production, creates new opportunities for pork producers, and supports the rural communities that are the backbone of Iowa agriculture." JBS USA is headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, and produces meat and poultry products. It is a majority shareholder of poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride. In February, JBS unveiled a $200m investment plan to boost beef production at facilities in the US states of Texas and Colorado. Rival meat processor Tyson Foods announced in March last year it would close its pork facility in Perry, affecting more than 1,200 employees. "JBS to invest $135m in new US sausage plant, creating 500 jobs" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
