Governor Branstad Monday reacted with anger to a federal judge’s ruling affecting egg production in Iowa and five other states. The judge threw out a lawsuit challenging California’s law on how hens can be housed.
Iowa leads the U.S. in egg production. California’s law says laying hens must have enough space to fully extend their limbs, and any state like Iowa with different standards can’t sell eggs in California. Branstad says the law violates the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. constitution:
"We think California is dead wrong on this," he says. "Eventually this thing can't stand."
The judge ruled the six states don’t have standing to sue because they’re trying to protect one industry, and not all of its citizens.
The states can appeal.
The Humane Society of America applauds the ruling.