The National Pork Producers Council and American Farm Bureau have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in California challenging that state’s Proposition 12. NPPC Vice President Jen Sorenson says they filed the action because Prop 12 prohibits the sale of meat products from hogs born to sows confined in spaces that don’t meet new minimum size requirements. This will hurt producers across the U.S.

She says it’s cost prohibitive for pork producers in California to meet Prop 12 standards.

Sorenson says one of the major concerns of both NPPC and Farm Bureau is other states may follow with regulations similar to Prop 12 or even more stringent.

Sorenson says if Prop12 holds up, it will likely lead to the loss of many smaller pork producers across the country.

Sorenson says in their court challenge the groups contend California is violating the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution with Proposition 12.