Court Rejects Meat Lobby’s Attack on Farm Animal Protection Law, Prop 12

Today, in a victory for animal advocates everywhere, the U.S. Court of appeals for the 9th circuit rejected an attack by meat industry lobbyists who sought to strike down as unconstitutional California's Proposition 12, passed in 2018, which not only bans the raising of farm animals in cages in California but would also ban the selling of animals that were raised in those cruel conditions, no matter where those animals were raised.

"The passage of the transformational proposition builds on protections first passed by voters in 2008 to now ensure that pork, eggs, and veal products produced or sold in the California marketplace come from facilities that do not confine animals in tiny cages for their entire lives."

Passed in a 63 to 37 percent majority, the law would go into effect in 2022, but the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) argued that the proposition is unconstitutional because the law prevents other states from using confinement practices to sell a product to California, and the state does not have the authority to set policies for other states. The court of appeals sided with the Humane Society and rejected this motion by the NAMI, a decision the Humane Society celebrated as a victory in the fight against cruel farming practices.

“We’re pleased that the judicial system has again affirmed that each state has the right to ban the sale of products within its borders produced through cruel factory farming methods,” said Rebecca Cary, senior staff attorney at the Humane Society of the United States. “Rather than continuing to squander their members’ money on losing frivolous lawsuits, the meat industry trade groups should instead invest in improving animal welfare and complying with animal cruelty laws. The Humane Society and our allies will keep fighting in courts, legislatures and corporate boardrooms to stop the horrific practice of locking farm animals in cages so small and cramped they barely move.”