(AP) — Nebraska is joining a lawsuit that seeks to strike down a California law regulating the living conditions of chickens.

Gov. Dave Heineman and Attorney General Jon Bruning announced Wednesday that they will help Missouri with its legal challenge in federal court. The lawsuit pits California’s new animal rights protections against the economic interests of Midwestern farmers.

The law set to take effect in 2015 would prohibit the sale of eggs that come from hens raised in cages that don’t comply with California’s new size and space requirements.

Heineman says the law will hamper interstate trade because it effectively imposes California’s requirements on out-of-state farmers. He says it also could set a precedent for beef, swine and dairy producers.

Missouri’s lawsuit was filed on Feb. 3 in U.S. District Court.