LINCOLN - Earlier this month, the Supreme Court voted to allow a California decision in regards to purchasing pork, which could affect up to 15% of the U.S. market.
The decision, known as Proposition 12, states that pigs have to live quarters of at least 24 square feet or the meat can’t be sold in California.
During his monthly radio call-in show, Governor Jim Pillen, who has a hog operation in Platte Center, says the Supreme Court ruling will have huge effects many people in America and across the world.
"This ruling is a heck of an attack on the poor, those with fixed incomes, and those kids that go to school hungry and on free lunches. All that's going to happen because of these geniuses in California is the cost of food is going to go up."
Outside of feeding people, he says the ruling is not good for any sector of the agriculture.
"This is a society of people that believe in animal liberties, a vegan society, and want meat to come out of a petri dish. They don't understand that livestock feeds the world and saves the planet. The assumptions that we don't take care of our livestock is absurd. The better we take care of our livestock, the better we do and the better we take care of our families."
Pillen says this attack has been happening for 30 years and isn’t letting up.
The ruling, however, could change and be back in front of the Supreme Court in a different form with a case from the Iowa Pork Producers currently in the 9th District Court.
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