Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advertising Commission
Citation
432 U.S. 333 (1977)
Facts
North Carolina enacted a law requiring that all closed containers of apples sold or shipped into the state bear only the applicable USDA grade or no grade at all. The effect was to ban Washington State’s own apple grading system, which was superior to the USDA system and provided valuable marketing information for Washington apples.
Issue
Whether the North Carolina apple marketing law violated the Dormant Commerce Clause by discriminating against interstate commerce.
Holding
The Court struck down the North Carolina law, finding that its discriminatory effect on Washington’s interstate apple trade outweighed any legitimate local interest.
Rule
A facially neutral law that has a discriminatory effect on out-of-state commerce violates the Dormant Commerce Clause when it serves to disadvantage interstate competitors.