National Egg Prices Soar Due To California Law, DOJ Lawsuit Claims
In a federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday, July 9, the U.S. Department of Justice claims California is to blame for the rising cost of eggs nationwide.
Eggs
US Customs and Border Protection confiscated eggs
Eggs
US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agriculture specialists confiscated eggs.
The complaint is directed at California authorities, including Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom, for what the DOJ claims are illegal statutes that violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. According to the DOJ, the challenged restrictions prevent out-of-state farmers from employing widely used, less expensive egg production techniques, raising prices for American customers.
The federal Egg Products Inspection Act, which already establishes national requirements for safety, labeling, and packaging, is directly at odds with California’s regulations, according to the Department of Justice. According to DOJ officials, California is essentially dictating national agricultural policy from Sacramento by adding more regulations.
The complaint is based on an executive order that President Trump signed into law on his first day in office, which directed federal agencies to remove burdensome regulations that are causing inflation. This legal challenge is the most recent in a line of actions taken by the DOJ to stop state-level legislation that is thought to be detrimental to national trade.
