Should California be allowed to create costly mandates for farmers across the country, raising food prices for all Americans? Or should Congress keep costly California mandates contained within California?
Recently, two animal rights advocates argued the former in American Thinker: That Congress should do nothing about a recently enacted ballot initiative in California that is driving up the cost of pork and eggs.
But any real conservative should demand the latter: That Congress act decisively to override California’s overreach and reduce Americans’ grocery bills.
Here’s the situation: Animal rights activists spent over $10 million in California to pass Proposition 12, a ballot measure. The law prohibits supermarkets in California from selling regular eggs and pork. Instead, only “Whole Foods”-style specialty eggs and pork can be sold.
Naturally, this law has resulted in “Whole Foods”-style prices. Eggs reached over $10 per dozen earlier this year in California, while pork prices have gone up 20 percent on average.
But it is also a hidden tax on consumers across the country. That’s because California produces a small percentage of eggs and almost zero pork within its own borders. So the mandates of Prop 12 are foisted upon farmers in Iowa, North Carolina, Indiana, and the other 46 states.
These California mandates can cost out-of-state farmers millions of dollars to comply with. So farmers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they stop selling eggs or pork in California, they’ll go out of business. So they must spend millions of dollars to make changes to their barns to become “California-compliant.”
These costs are then passed on–not just to Californians, but across the country.
Prop 12 sets a dangerous precedent. The law was financed by animal rights activists who are morally opposed to people eating any meat, eggs, or dairy—even if farmers housed chickens in condos and pigs in palaces.
Their ridiculous version of “state’s rights” is to allow 50 different state laws dictating how farmers can produce food. California may create one set of rules for eggs and pork.
But then Colorado, Massachusetts, and other states can create slightly—or even radically—different standards.
Imagine trying to sell eggs and having to deal with 50 different state inspectors. It’d be a nightmare for farmers, and also consumers who would have fewer choices and even higher food costs.
And it’s not going to stop with eggs and pork. These animal rights groups want everyone to be vegan. The next California ballot measures could target dairy, beef, and chicken with regulations that drive up costs across the country.
Unless Congress steps in, that is–and it should do just that.
Certainly, bird flu has created a double-whammy on egg prices alongside Prop 12. But there’s not much Congress can do to stop an invisible virus from spreading.
On the other hand, Congress does have the ability to override California Prop 12. Several members of Congress recently introduced a bill to do just that. And a provision in last year’s Farm Bill would have done the same, but Congress decided to delay the Farm Bill for a year.
The good news is that it’s not just Republicans on board. The Biden Administration opposed Prop 12, with Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack saying the law would create “chaos” in the food marketplace.
Americans have experienced enough inflation chaos over the past five years. It’s time for Congress to act to protect farmers and consumers and lower grocery prices–before things get worse.
Will Coggin is research director at the Center for the Environment and Welfare.
Image generated by AI.