Trump administration sues California over the price of eggs
Trump administration sues state over inflated egg prices
The Trump administration on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the State of California alleging its regulations governing egg production have led to a sharp increase in egg prices nationally.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - An ethical stance in California over the treatment of some farm animals is ruffling feathers all the way in Washington, which is producing backlash back in the Golden State.
"It's just morally corrupt to want to abuse animals," said Leslie Citroen, owner of the North Bay-based Mill Valley Chickens.
Ruffled feathers
She and other farmers are appalled that the Trump administration on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against California over Proposition 12. Passed in 2018, it mandates certain protections for animals, including that egg producing hens can't be crammed into cages, and must have enough space for movement.
Federal officials and watchdogs sympathetic to the plight of farmers and consumers say Prop. 12, which applies to out-of-state egg producers, who sell products in California, is driving up the price of eggs.
"When you pass mandates and laws that require farmers all across the country to invest millions of dollars refitting and refurbishing their barns, those costs end up being passed to consumers," said Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for Environmental Welfare.
Some consumers see the latest legal tussle as an old argument, over state's rights.
State's rights
"The job of California is to protect us. So, I'd rather have, I'd rather have us being able to set our own rules. If we want them to be more restrictive, I think that's the job of the government to protect us. And if we want to be more friendly to the animals and the environment that's our choice and we should have local control over that," said Sylvain Francoeur, a grocery store shopper in Los Gatos.
Some experts counted that by setting a standard that other states must comply with, California could be creating commerce chaos.
"Creates an impossible patchwork of laws and regulations which makes it almost impossible to comply with," said Hubbard.
Health concerns
For farmers such as Citroen, the issue is about health — for the animals and consumers.
"When you have crowded conditions, factory farming conditions, that's why you're getting the spread of diseases. That's why we're having avian flu. Because it gets crowded and dirty," she said.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent an emailed response in reaction to the Trump administration lawsuit which read, "Pointing fingers won't change the fact that it is the President's economic policies that have been destructive. We'll see him in court."
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