Attorney General Alan Wilson stands up for farmers at the U.S. Supreme Court

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson joined Iowa and 22 other states supporting a challenge to a Massachusetts law that bans the sale, and even transportation, of any pork that was produced in violation of Massachusetts hog housing space requirements.

In their friend-of-the-court brief, the States assert that this “Question 3” law imposes a detrimental and overly burdensome regulation on the almost entirely out-of-Massachusetts pig farmers and pork processors in their states.

“The Constitution was designed to prevent this kind of market manipulation,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Question 3 sets a dangerous precedent that allows states to impose their own regulations on others, which will lead to a chaotic national market and higher prices for consumers.”

The effects of this regulation will be widespread and costly. Economic studies conducted on California’s similar, but less burdensome, law estimate that compliance will cost hog producers in the United States between $294 million and $348 million. This compliance cost will devastate small, independent hog farmers and will decrease the supply of pork products available across the country.

In addition to South Carolina, attorneys general from the following states joined the Iowa-led filing: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The full amicus brief can be read here.