Op-Ed: Why blaming cage-free laws misses the mark

Bryce and Lyndy Omer

Meadow Valley Farm

The availability and price of eggs is a hot topic across the country right now, with consumers at the mercy of a volatile market. But the reasons behind this instability are more complex than some may think, and the stakes are high for all of us. 

Recently, some people, including federal officials like U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, have suggested that state-level public health and animal welfare regulations—like California’s Proposition 12 and the cage-free laws of various other states—are partly to blame for rising costs.  As family farmers dedicated to providing safe, fresh food to our community, we want to make one thing clear: these laws are not the cause of high egg prices.

The real culprit is the ongoing avian flu outbreak, which has had a devastating impact on poultry farms across the nation. Since it began in early 2022, more than 130 million birds have been lost nationwide, including approximately 40 million egg-laying hens. With so many hens lost, there are simply fewer eggs being produced, which has led to a nationwide shortage and higher prices. This shortage is affecting all types of egg production, from cage-free to conventional cage and pasture-raised systems. 

Avian flu has disrupted the entire industry, and it is wishful thinking to suggest that repealing state-level animal welfare laws can fix the underlying problem. They’ve got nothing to do with the price of eggs.

We want consumers to know that rolling back these laws would harm the farmers who have already invested heavily in cage-free production. These farmers, already reeling from the impacts of avian flu, simply cannot afford another setback. Many have poured millions of dollars into transitioning to cage-free operations in response to growing consumer demand for more humane and sustainable farming practices. Repealing these laws would jeopardize that investment, potentially driving these farmers out of business. It could also open the door for foreign producers to come in, further destabilizing the market and undercutting American farmers who have made both the moral and financial commitment to cage-free standards.

Overturning these laws would also have significant consequences for animal welfare and food safety. Numerous studies have shown that cage housing for hens increases the risk of Salmonella contamination, putting public health at risk. Upholding these standards is the bare minimum we can do to protect both hens and consumers who have made it clear again and again that they want wholesome eggs.

There is a humane case for the approach to raising birds that we and others have chosen, too. Cage-free standards ensure that hens have space to move around, stretch their wings, and engage in natural behaviors. That’s what people want, that’s what we want, and that’s the way the market is moving. Rather than weakening these laws, we should focus on strengthening efforts to prevent disease outbreaks.  Now more than ever, it is important that regular consumers support farmers who are committed to sustainable egg production by helping to protect policies that are good for all of us. It is essential that we come together to address the root causes of this crisis instead of taking a step backward as some members of the U.S. Congress (and perhaps even Secretary Rollins) seem poised to do.

I urge Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, Congressman Steven Horsford, and all Members of Congress to seek real, long-term solutions to this problem. Let’s protect both our farmers and consumers by investing in sustainable, effective solutions as opposed to applying a false fix that will do more harm than good.