Egg Legislation

Egg Legislation

Rick Worthington
Rick Worthington
Something is going on in Iowa, that could circle around to western states.

The Center for Food Safety and Mercy for Animals are calling on Iowa's governor to veto a controversial bill passed by the state Legislature that could make some retailers sell battery-caged eggs whether they want to or not.

The law could require grocery stores to sell conventional eggs from hens raised in battery cages if they also sell specialty eggs with labels such as "cage-free" and "free-range." Cody Carlson, staff attorney with Mercy for Animals, said he believes forcing private businesses to sell a specific product is unprecedented.

"For years, the factory-farm lobby has opposed any animal protection laws by saying, 'Well, the market should decide. We don't need laws. You know, consumers and retailers can decide this for themselves,'" Carlson said. "And now that the market is deciding, they no longer want the market to decide. The market is not deciding in their favor and so they don't like it anymore."

Supporters say consumers should have a low-cost choice for protein, and a dozen cage-free or free-range eggs can cost twice as much as conventional eggs from factory farms.

"And these are companies like McDonald's and Walmart and Dollar Tree. These are very cost-conscious companies," Carlson said. "So they've just recognized that confining chickens in a cage where they can barely move for their entire lives is just not acceptable. It's not acceptable for the animals and it's not acceptable for consumers."

States that restrict battery cages, including California, Washington and Oregon.

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