Every day, hundreds of pigs arriving at American slaughterhouses are, or become, unable to stand or walk before they are slaughtered. Federal law allows the entry of these “downer” pigs into the food supply after inspection (although downer cattle are banned from processing for human consumption), but California has a law banning such animals from …
downer pigs
High Court Considers Ban on Slaughtering Downed Pigs
By Helena Bottemiller on
The Supreme Court is considering whether a California ban on slaughtering so-called “downer” pigs overstepped existing federal meat inspection laws.
Though several justices reportedly noted the good intentions behind the state law, the majority voiced concern about state overreach, indicating the court may rule in favor of the pork industry, which is backed up on …