12 May 2023. The Supreme Court of the United States affirmed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision regarding California’s Proposition 12, in an opinion released on May 11, 2023. Pork producers challenged the State of California’s Proposition 12, which limits the sale of pork products from pigs raised in extreme confinement. This decision is a victory for worker safety advocates who submitted an amicus brief co-authored by now-Associate Leora Friedman and Public Justice Food Project Litigation Director David Muraskin. The brief addresses the connection between intensive confinement of swine and spread of zoonotic disease to and among slaughterhouse and other workers in California and their communities.
The Court’s ruling means that Californians can continue buying pork products knowing they were not produced using extreme confinement practices – protecting not only animals but also workers who handle these products every day from harm caused by unsafe conditions. This is a huge win for those advocating for better treatment of animals as well as worker and community health and safety.