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U.S. Supreme Court’s Decline of Iowa Case Bolsters Local Control

SCOTUS Action a Good Indicator That These Kinds of Laws Work

By Matthew Sheets
July 2, 2025

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On July 1, the United States Supreme Court delivered a win for local control and a blow to Big Ag when it declined to hear the 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 Iowa Capitol Dispatch explains the case:

“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.

The California law (Proposition 12), which went into effect in 2024, stipulates that regardless of where an animal was raised, it must comply with the state regulation on animal confinement in order to be sold in California. The law stipulates sow enclosures must have at least 24 square feet of room….

The west-coast state is a major pork consumer, meaning its laws have a big impact on pork production across the country and in states like Iowa, which produces the most pork in the nation.“

The rejection of this case is a decided win for local control and the ability for states to take action against the consolidation of the agriculture industry.  If the livestock industry in one state could sue over a local law in another state, that would have posed a significant threat to any kind of local level cap or rules that citizens in other jurisdictions vote into place.

While this case represents a major milestone, there is still work to be done. The EATS Act is currently making its way through Congress and would directly threaten the ability of any local government to regulate agriculture.  Under the misleading name of “Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression,” the EATS Act would limit the ability of states and local governments to impose standards or conditions on agricultural products produced in other states.  This law, if passed, would override state and local laws related to food safety, animal welfare, and other agricultural practices, potentially impacting regulations like California’s Proposition 12. For information on making your voice heard on the EATS Act, contact me at the e-mail below.

For decades, Land Stewardship Project members have used the power of local democracy to stop factory farms and build more vibrant rural communities. Through local control, townships and counties can block unwanted development, planning instead for projects that put the land and the people first.  You can learn more about our work in this area and join us in that work here.

LSP policy organizer Matthew Sheets can be reached via e-mail.

Category: Blog
Tags: CAFO • factory farm • local democracy

Upcoming Events

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September 2025

Wednesday September 3

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
Wednesday September 3
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Montevideo Office Coffee & Conversation
111 N 1st St, Montevideo, MN 56265, USA

On the first Wednesday of each month, the Land Stewardship Project hosts coffee and conversation at our downtown Montevideo office (111 North First Street), and we hope you will have time to join us at the next one on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The open house-style mornings feature a quick update on recent LSP work and then plenty of time to enjoy your coffee and build community the old-fashioned way, by talking face-to-face. This month we will give an update on our work to combat consolidation in animal agriculture and provide an overview of our recent town hall in Paynesville with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.  

 Come when you can and stay as long as you like! Don’t hesitate to bring along a friend or two — we always enjoy meeting someone new.

For more information, contact LSP’s Matthew Sheets at msheets@landstewardshipproject.org.

Friday September 5

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
Friday September 5
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day on the Cotter Farm: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

 Sign up today for a get-together down on Tom Cotter’s Farm. This field day brings together food companies, local farmers and other professionals in agriculture — a perfect opportunity for networking and discussion.
Hear from soil health experts, then board the Topless Bus to take a tour of Tom’s farm. A FREE TACO BAR LUNCH will featureTom’s own grass-fed beef, along with authentic, homemade tortillas and rice. Featured speakers include soil scientist Kris Nichols and agronomist Joe Ailts.
 
You can check out the field day flier here. For more details and to register, click here.

Saturday September 6

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
Saturday September 6
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Soil & Food Health Field Day: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Details are here.

Monday September 8

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Monday September 8
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Anne Biklé in conversation with Ross Evelsizer: What Your Food Ate
Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

Join Anne Biklé (co-author, What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health) and NEIA RC & D Natural Resource Projects Director, Ross Evelsizer, for a conversation and Q & A session followed by a book signing. Everyone is invited to this free event sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, with support from Pulpit Rock Brewing and Dragonfly Books.
 
Details on the Sept. 8 event are here.

Tuesday September 9

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
'Growing Resilience' Field Day at Churchill Reserve Grass-Fed Beef
Tuesday September 9
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
'Growing Resilience' Field Day at Churchill Reserve Grass-Fed Beef
36001 63rd Avenue Way Cannon Falls, MN, 55009

Spend a day with Clean River Partners and farmers discussing their experiences with different conservation management practices as they navigate the challenges of making a livelihood, accessing land and markets, and dealing with unpredictable weather conditions.

Join farmers Bryan Lips (BT Farms), Wendy Johnson (Jóia Food & Fiber Farm), Todd Churchill (Churchill Reserve), Helen Forsythe (Feed the People Farm Cooperative), and more, to discuss topics like wide-row corn and cover crops, the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, agroforestry, growing small grains, and prescribed grazing. 

For more information and to register, click here. 

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