Loren J. Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc.

397 U.S. 137 (1970)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

The Arizona Fruit and Vegetable Standardization Act requires that, with certain exceptions, all cantaloupes grown in Arizona and offered for sale must 'be packed in regular compact arrangement in closed standard containers approved by the supervisor. . . .' Because they are highly perishable, cantaloupes must, upon maturity, be immediately harvested, processed, packed, and shipped in order to prevent spoilage. The processing and packing operations can be performed only in packing sheds. Because Bruce Church (P) had no such facilities in state it transported its cantaloupe harvest in bulk loads to Blythe, California, 31 miles away, where it operated centralized and efficient packing shed facilities. There, the melons were sorted, inspected, packed, and shipped. Pike (D) prohibited P from shipping its cantaloupes out of the State unless they were packed in containers in a manner and of a kind approved by D. P faced imminent loss of its anticipated 1968 cantaloupe crop in the gross amount of $700,000. The District Court granted preliminary relief. A three-judge court was convened. After first granting temporary relief, the court issued a permanent injunction upon the ground that the challenged order constituted an unlawful burden upon interstate commerce. This appeal followed.