In a fractured ruling Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit filed by the pork industry challenging a California animal welfare initiative aimed at combatting confined living conditions for farm-raised pigs.

The decision represents a victory for California voters and animal rights groups that supported the state's Proposition 12, a ballot initiative adopted in 2018 banning Golden State stores from selling pork raised in "cruel" confined living conditions where pigs are not able to lie down, fully extend their limbs, stand up or turn around.