Four years ago California voters passed Proposition 12, which goes around the often do-nothing legislature in Sacramento, which banned any sales of pork in the stare if the processor did not use California standards.

California also does this to companies in things like light bulbs and cars and even gasoline, which leads to higher costs. The state imports nearly all of its pork so the the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation sued on Constitutional grounds, saying that under the Commerce Clause one state could not dictate to all the others how it would occur. 

The Supreme Court sided with California - the benefit to a conservative court is they use the Constitution as the north star, not progressive good works - and said the state absolutely can create its own standard.

"While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues, the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list," wrote Justice Neil Gorsuch for the majority. If companies choose not to create a separate product for California, that is on them.

Of course they will create just such a product. Car companies are happy to make customers pay more for cars, oil companies are fine with California having the highest gasoline and utility costs in the country, as long as they get a percentage the state is doing them a favor making the base cost higher. 

Animal activists claim a victory, and pig farmers will be able to charge more while blaming government. The only losers are, as is always the case, the people of California. The state produces 1% of the country's pork, no one wants to have a ranching business in California, while residents consume 13% of the supply. The re-tooling will costs billions of dollars but with a captive market, they can also charge a California Premium price.

“This decision opens the door to unthinkable, unscientific regulatory overreach against all producers. Today it’s the pig pen, tomorrow it’s the whole barnyard,” wrote Tracey Mann (KS-01), Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry in a statement.