Supreme Court of the United States
National Meat Association v. Harris
January 23, 2012132 S. Ct. 965
Summary
The Supreme Court held that the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) expressly preempts California Penal Code § 599f, which regulated how slaughterhouses must handle nonambulatory animals. The Court reasoned that the FMIA's preemption clause bars states from imposing requirements different from federal ones regarding slaughterhouse operations, and California's law conflicted with federal regulations on handling disabled pigs. Justice Kagan delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.