The Department of Justice reportedly filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against California, charging that the state’s animal welfare laws have contributed to sharply higher egg prices across the country and infringe upon federal authority.
The lawsuit, lodged in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, challenges California’s stringent regulations—including Proposition 12, the 2018 ballot measure that requires cage-free conditions for egg-laying hens and minimum space standards for other farm animals.
The DOJ contends that by extending these rules to require compliance from out‑of‑state producers, California has created “unnecessary red tape” that drives up costs and violates the federal Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970, which mandates national uniformity in egg regulation.
“California has contributed to the historic rise in egg prices by imposing unnecessary red tape on the production of eggs,” the complaint states. It argues that states cannot override federal oversight or impose standards that affect interstate commerce.
The company behind the lawsuit, along with USDA officials, point to the economic impact on both consumers and producers.
They argue that farmers outside California must alter their production lines to meet a patchwork of state standards or lose access to the nation’s largest consumer market, raising costs that are passed on to buyers.
Yet critics swiftly dismissed the lawsuit as misplaced. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded with defiance and a touch of humor, suggesting that Trump has a habit of “blaming California for everything.”
Animal welfare advocates call the suit a threat to humane farming, warning that weakening the law could allow the return of more intensive policies seen in other states and foreign markets with lower welfare standards.
Economic analysts note, though, that the recent surge in egg prices is primarily linked to a devastating bird flu outbreak, not the state’s regulations.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices spiked amid the epidemic and have since begun to moderate as the avian flu recedes.
Nonetheless, the DOJ’s lawsuit underlines ongoing tension over federalism and regulatory jurisdiction. Proposition 12 was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2023, which found that economic ripple effects from state law are permissible under the Commerce Clause.
However, federal authorities now contend that California’s standards go too far—affecting producers nationwide rather than solely within state boundaries.
The case marks another flashpoint in the broader debate over how America feeds itself, balancing consumer costs, animal welfare, and the principle of national regulatory consistency.
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