• About
  • Contact
Thursday, July 10, 2025
The US Inquirer
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Home
  • National
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Crime
  • World
PRICING
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • National
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Crime
  • World
No Result
View All Result
The US Inquirer
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Trump administration sues California, arguing animal cruelty laws cause high egg prices

by Jacob Rosen
July 9, 2025
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
Trump administration sues California, arguing animal cruelty laws cause high egg prices

RELATED POSTS

FIFA opens office in Trump Tower as soccer chief builds close ties to Trump

Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA for now

The Trump administration sued California and Gov. Gavin Newsom over the state’s anti-animal cruelty laws Wednesday, alleging they are contributing to the high cost of egg prices and are superseded by a federal law regulating egg quality, inspection and packaging.

In its complaint, the Justice Department is attempting to block state laws that require additional space for hen-growing chickens, arguing they are “unnecessary red tape” and “do not advance consumer welfare.”

“California has effectively prevented farmers across the country from using a number of agricultural production methods which were in widespread use and which helped keep eggs affordable,” the Justice Department wrote in its civil complaint.

Two California ballot initiatives, passed in 2008 and 2018, mandate higher standards and housing requirements for hen-laying chickens and eggs sold in the state, requiring the birds to be given enough space to extend their limbs and move without touching another bird. 

The 2018 ballot initiative also bars hens from being kept in any “enclosure other than a cage-free housing system” and mandates space requirements for breeding pigs and calves raised for veal.

Those laws, the Trump administration alleges, are preempted by the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and the Egg Products Inspection Act, which was passed in 1970. The Trump administration also cites data that showed in the years after the first major restriction was passed, egg production in the state decreased and egg prices increased by 20%.

California’s requirements, the Justice Department says, “were driven by activists’ conception of what qualifies as ‘cruel’ animal housing, not by consumer purchasing decisions or scientifically based food safety or animal welfare standards.”

Supporters of California’s laws, like the Humane Society of the United States, argue they protect farm animals from being “locked in cruel and extreme confinement.” In many cases, egg-laying hens are confined to tiny cages.

“Locking farm animals in tiny cages is not only inhumane and cruel, it increases the risk of food safety threats like salmonella and E. coli, while also increasing the risk of another pandemic,” the Humane Society said in 2023.

In a post on X, Newsom’s press office wrote that President Trump is “back to his favorite hobby: blaming California for literally everything. Next up: Gavin Newsom caused the fall of Rome and sent the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs!”

“Americans across the country have suffered the consequences of liberal policies causing massive inflation for everyday items like eggs,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we will use the full extent of federal law to ensure that American families are free from oppressive regulatory burdens and restore American prosperity.”

The Trump administration’s suit is not the first time that the state’s egg laws have been challenged in court.

In both 2016 and 2017, Republican state attorneys general unsuccessfully sued to block a provision that required the hens to have additional space in their housing units. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2019. Two years ago, the high court also rejected a challenge to the state’s 2018 animal confinement law brought by pork producers.

Wednesday’s lawsuit is the Trump administration’s latest legal move against Newsom, who is a frequent critic of the president. It also comes after blowback about a spike in egg prices earlier this year.

Egg prices nationwide averaged $4.55 per dozen in May of this year, according to CBS News’ price tracker. U.S. Department of Agriculture data indicates that wholesale egg prices are only slightly higher than at this time last year, after prices spiked in late 2024.

According to USDA egg market data published earlier this month, prices of California-complaint wholesale eggs rose 15 cents week-to-week from June 20 and June 27, and were up 80 cents since May 30. 

The complaint does not mention the bird flu epidemic that has ravaged the egg industry and drove egg prices up to record highs in March, when the average price of Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $6.23 per dozen, according to federal data.

More from CBS News

Jacob Rosen

Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump’s 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” where he worked with Brennan for two years on the broadcast. Rosen has been a producer for several CBS News podcasts, including “The Takeout,” “The Debrief” and “Agent of Betrayal: The Double Life of Robert Hanssen.”

Share6Tweet4Share1

Jacob Rosen

Related Posts

FIFA opens office in Trump Tower as soccer chief builds close ties to Trump
Politics

FIFA opens office in Trump Tower as soccer chief builds close ties to Trump

July 9, 2025
Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA for now
Politics

Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA for now

July 9, 2025
Why Trump’s copper tariff could raise cost of appliances, cars, electricity
Politics

Why Trump’s copper tariff could raise cost of appliances, cars, electricity

July 9, 2025
Breaking down Supreme Court ruling on mass federal layoffs
Politics

Breaking down Supreme Court ruling on mass federal layoffs

July 9, 2025
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff, citing “Witch Hunt” against Bolsonaro
Politics

Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff, citing “Witch Hunt” against Bolsonaro

July 9, 2025
Supreme Court won’t let Florida enforce new immigration law for now
Politics

Supreme Court won’t let Florida enforce new immigration law for now

July 9, 2025
Next Post
Why Trump’s copper tariff could raise cost of appliances, cars, electricity

Why Trump's copper tariff could raise cost of appliances, cars, electricity

Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA for now

Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA for now

Recommended Stories

Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff, citing “Witch Hunt” against Bolsonaro

Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff, citing “Witch Hunt” against Bolsonaro

July 9, 2025
Trump to send tariff notices to countries that haven’t made trade deals, starting this week

Trump to send tariff notices to countries that haven’t made trade deals, starting this week

July 6, 2025
Trump threatens Musk subsidies after Musk again targets Trump’s budget bill

Trump threatens Musk subsidies after Musk again targets Trump’s budget bill

July 1, 2025

Popular Stories

  • Musk renews attacks on “big, beautiful bill,” says it will “destroy million of jobs”

    Musk vows to start a new political party. Here’s why that’s harder than it sounds.

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Tipped workers could soon get a new tax break. Here’s what to know.

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • U.S. Tariffs on dozens of countries could surge on July 9. Here’s why.

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Does the “big, beautiful bill” eliminate taxes on Social Security?

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • Military sending 200 Marines to help ICE in Florida

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
The US Inquirer

© 2023 The US Inquirer

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Ethics
  • Fact Checking and Corrections Policies
  • Copyright
  • Privacy Policy
  • ISSN: 2832-0522

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Crime
  • World

© 2023 The US Inquirer

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?