Wickard v. Filburn

law case

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Wickard v. Filburn was a landmark 1942 U.S. Supreme Court case that significantly expanded the federal government's power under the commerce clause. The case involved Roscoe Filburn, a small farmer who grew wheat for his own consumption and for his livestock, exceeding the quota set by the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938.

The Court ruled that Filburn's production, though for personal use, could affect interstate commerce by reducing the demand for commercially grown wheat. This decision established that even seemingly minor, local economic activities could be regulated by Congress if they had a substantial economic effect on interstate commerce. This ruling broadened the scope of federal authority over economic matters.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

constitutional law
Judicial review in the United States
…commerce clause laid down in Wickard v. Filburn (1942) upheld the federal government’s right to enforce quotas on the production of agricultural products in virtually all circumstances, even when, as in this case, a farmer exceeding his quota—by an admittedly sizable amount of wheat—proclaimed his intention to consume all his…
Read More
…commerce clause laid down in Wickard v. Filburn (1942) upheld the federal government’s right to enforce quotas on the production of agricultural products in virtually all circumstances, even when, as in this case, a farmer exceeding his quota—by an admittedly sizable amount of wheat—proclaimed his intention to consume all his…
Read More