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.
Protein markets are fragmenting. Beef is supply-driven and more structurally expensive, whereas pork and poultry remain price-competitive.
January 10, 2026 07:00 AM
·
Federal nutrition policy is signaling a stronger demand for whole foods produced by U.S. farmers and ranchers. Consumer-facing guidance favors animal protein, but institutional demand may change little under existing saturated fat limits.
January 08, 2026 11:42 AM
·
The U.S. Meat Export Federation plans to expand its global market presence in the New Year and says it is focusing its appeal on the growing middle class worldwide.
January 06, 2026 12:21 PM
·
Pork producers warn that proposed definitions of “ultra-processed” food in guidelines from the “Make America Healthy Again” plan could negatively impact industry-standard bacon, sausage, and feed practices.
December 22, 2025 01:38 PM
·
December 18, 2025 11:03 AM
China’s pullback is hitting core U.S. commodities hard, reshaping export expectations for soybeans, cotton, grains, and livestock.
December 16, 2025 07:00 AM
·
Rising beef supplies and lower cattle prices, weaker hog markets, and softening dairy prices will shape producer margins heading into 2026.
December 11, 2025 01:32 PM
·
Farm Journal Foundation Senior Policy Adviser Dr. Stephanie Mercier outlines new research on the top sixteen biosecurity threats in agriculture/
December 10, 2025 01:05 PM
·
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
·
