Trump Administration Sues California Over Cage-Free Egg Laws
July 10, 2025 | Source: Civil Eats | by Lisa Held
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.”