Egg prices are cracking under pressure, and Donald Trump’s pointing the finger at California’s overreaching animal rights laws. Egg prices nationwide have dropped recently, but they’re still much higher than last year, even with the avian flu scare fading. Why? Because of California’s cage-free hen mandates.
California is America’s biggest egg market, plus it imports 70% of its eggs. They force every egg sold there to come from cage-free chickens. This burdens farmers in top egg-producing states like Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas—states Trump won big in 2024. These regulations jack up costs for poultry farmers nationwide, hitting your wallet hard at the grocery store.
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed California to regulate goods sold there, even if produced elsewhere, crushing Midwestern farmers with costly rules. Even worse, California allows lawsuits against out-of-state farmers, threatening their livelihoods with lawfare. It’s outrageous!
In 2023, the Supreme Court dodged fixing this mess, rejecting a challenge from Iowa pork producers. Only Justice Brett Kavanaugh stood up for them. But Trump’s fighting back! On July 9, his DOJ sued to block California’s laws dictating how egg-laying hens are housed nationwide.
California’s Proposition 2, effective since 2015, and Proposition 12, fully enforced by 2024, demand hens have room to stretch and roam freely. These laws require hens to have 1 to 1.5 square feet of space each, driving up costs for fancy cage-free systems. These rules spiked egg prices by 20% and slashed California’s egg production by 35%. Farmers face fines, jail, or crippling lawsuits for non-compliance.
The DOJ’s lawsuit argues federal law trumps California’s overreach on product regulations. One state shouldn’t control a national economy! California Gov. Gavin Newsom may complain about Trump’s so-called “overreach,” but he’s been bullying Midwestern farmers for years. The Trump Administration is standing up for our farmers and small businesses, protecting them and your grocery budget from the overreach of animal rights activists.
For the U.S. economy to flourish, free enterprise needs to be rewarded! Competition and capitalism need to be encouraged. At PhyllisSchlafly.com, you’ll find alerts and strategies for strengthening our economy and standing against socialism. That’s PhyllisSchlafly.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time for The Phyllis Schlafly Report.
