WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court
struck down on Monday a California law that requires
slaughterhouses to immediately euthanize animals that cannot
walk, ruling that federal meat safety and inspection law takes
precedence.
The justices unanimously ruled for an industry trade group,
the National Meat Association, that sued to block enforcement
of the California state law. The justices overturned a Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the state law could be
enforced.
Justice Elena Kagan said the 2009 California law was
preempted by a federal law that sets national standards for meat
safety and gives federal inspectors at slaughterhouses the final
word on what to do about livestock too sick to stand up.
The state law was adopted after the Humane Society of the
United States released an undercover video showing workers
abusing nonambulatory cattle at a slaughterhouse in southern
California.
The state law bans slaughterhouses from buying, butchering
or selling nonambulatory livestock for human consumption and
calls for their immediate euthanization. It provides for up to
one year in prison and a $20,000 fine for any violation.
The Federal Meat Inspection Act provides for a federal
inspector to determine whether a nonambulatory animal is fit for
human consumption. A provision in it bars states from imposing
requirements on slaughterhouses in addition to federal ones.
The federal government supported the meat processors trade
group and argued the California law was preempted by the federal
law that regulates the humane handling of animals at
slaughterhouses.
The Chamber of Commerce business group, veterinarians and
pork producers supported the National Meat Association while 13
other states, the Humane Society and the American Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals supported California.
The Supreme Court case is National Meat Association v.
Harris, No. 10-224.
For National Meat Association: Steven Wells of Dorsey &
Whitney.
For the non-state respondents, The Human Society of the
United States, et al: Scott Ballenger of Latham & Watkins.
For California: Susan Smith, Deputy Attorney General.
(Reporting By James Vicini)
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