July 10, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing the state of California to overturn its first-in-the-nation laws that mandate eggs sold in the state come from chickens raised in cage-free systems.
California voters approved Proposition 2 in 2008 and then Proposition 12 in 2018, both of which include requirements around how much space egg-laying hens have on farms. Since then, other states have proposed cage-free laws, while consumer demand drove a larger shift across the country.
According to recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, nearly half of the country’s eggs now come from cage-free production.
However, DOJ lawyers argue California’s animal welfare laws violate the federal Egg Productions Inspection Act by imposing requirements that are different from or on top of the federal standards.
“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 press release. “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.”
While cage-free eggs are slightly more expensive than conventional eggs, economists say higher national egg prices in recent years are due to a confluence of factors including bird flu, COVID-19 supply chain disruptions, and companies taking advantage of consumers through price gouging.
Analyses of the impact of California’s animal welfare laws have found that while they may lead to price increases on the specific foods subject to the state’s laws (especially in the beginning as supply chains adapt), there’s no evidence they affect prices outside the state.
Proposition 12 has been the target of multiple lawsuits, but the pushback to date has largely come from the pork industry. In a 2022 Supreme Court case, the Association of California Egg Farmers submitted a brief in favor of keeping the law in place. The Court ruled in favor of California against the pork industry; at the end of June, it declined to hear another challenge brought by pork producers. The pork industry is now working to get Congress to overturn the law.
“We fully expect this misguided and disappointing DOJ initiative to meet the same fate as every similar legal challenge before it,” said Scott Edwards, general counsel for advocacy group Animal Wellness Action. “States have the constitutional authority to ensure humane treatment of animals and to protect their citizens from unsafe and unethical agricultural practices. DOJ should be defending these rights—not working to hurt American farmers, consumers, and animals.”
The Trump administration has been targeting California on many fronts, with multiple lawsuits and immigration enforcement actions that are much more aggressive compared to actions in other states. (Link to this post.)
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