Federal court upholds decision to dismiss 3rd lawsuit against hen cage law

A federal appeals court has upheld a decision to dismiss a lawsuit by a farmer that challenged a law banning the inhumane confinement of egg-laying hens.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday affirmed the 2012 decision by a lower court to throw out the lawsuit by egg farmer William Cramer.

Cramer's lawsuit said the law is unconstitutionally vague.

It's the third time courts have rejected lawsuits by egg farmers against California's landmark Proposition 2.

The initiative approved in 2008 bans the inhumane confinement of egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and veal calves in cages so small the animals cannot stretch their limbs, lie down or turn around.

The law went into effect in January.