Photo: RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP / Getty Images
The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against California, claiming the state's animal cruelty laws are driving up egg prices across the country. The lawsuit, submitted in a Los Angeles federal court, argues that California's regulations impose "unnecessary red tape" on egg production, affecting farmers nationwide.
The administration asserts that California's laws, including Proposition 2 and Proposition 12, hinder traditional farming methods that help keep egg prices low. Proposition 2, approved in 2008 and enacted in 2015, mandates that hens must have enough space to move freely. Proposition 12, implemented in 2022, prohibits the sale of products from caged animals, even if raised out of state. The Trump administration contends that these laws conflict with the federal Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970, which calls for national uniformity in egg safety standards.
The lawsuit is part of President Donald Trump's efforts to lower egg prices, which have surged due, in part, to an avian flu outbreak. The administration blames California's regulations for exacerbating inflation and the rising cost of living.
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office responded on X with a humorous retort, suggesting that the lawsuit is another instance of the Trump administration blaming California for various issues.
This legal challenge is not the first against California's animal cruelty laws. In 2014, six states sued over egg regulations but lost in court.