Lawmakers are digging into the impacts of California’s Prop 12.
The House Agriculture Committee is hearing from producers, economists, and legal experts. One Farm Bureau attorney says that the Supreme Court’s decision created a legal mess.
He says that action is needed because the ruling left farmers without clear rules and without a path forward.
According to Travis Cushman, “Farm Bureau’s efforts resulted in a Supreme Court decision that is so convoluted, so confusing, and so contradictory that no one can articulate the state of the dormant commerce clause today or how courts should proceed with similar claims. As you know, you need five of the nine Justices to agree with you to win a case. Six justices agreed with our legal theory and five agreed that we’d established enough facts to win on that claim. An easy win, right? Not quite! Because the way we count votes at the Supreme Court, our farmers lost. The resulting fractured five/four decision lacks a unifying rationale.”
Cushman says that the decision shows why Congress needs to step in.
Without federal rules, more states could pass their own animal care laws that could leave farmers stuck with costly barn changes and no clear standard.
While the 2018 Farm Bill received an extension under the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act, the National Pork Producers Council wants lawmakers to do more to support the sector.
December 04, 2025 11:27 AM
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Tight cattle supplies continue to drive lower beef output despite heavier weights.
December 04, 2025 05:00 AM
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Cattle and hog supplies continue to tighten while dairy output expands, creating a split outlook in which red-meat prices soften and milk values come under pressure from larger supplies.
November 18, 2025 03:02 PM
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National Pork Board Chief Sustainability Officer Jamie Burr shares a closer look at the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Cares Farm Impact Report, a research program to increase trust in the pork supply chain.
November 17, 2025 02:03 PM
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While agriculture doesn’t predict every recession, the sector’s long history of turning down before the broader economy
November 16, 2025 12:00 PM
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USMEF’s Jay Theiler discusses his leadership role in representing U.S. beef and pork and provides an update on this week’s conference in Indianapolis.
November 14, 2025 03:36 PM
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Manure from a hog farm is more than just waste; it is also becoming a key renewable resource for operations.
November 14, 2025 02:53 PM
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USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom shares how recent trade talks are influencing U.S. red meat global sales and the importance of key trade agreements like the USMCA.
November 12, 2025 03:07 PM
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Lucia Ruano, USMEF’s Central America representative, discusses what is driving demand for U.S. beef and pork in the region.
November 11, 2025 01:30 PM
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