The Trump Justice Department sued the State of California on Wednesday for a regulation it says raises the price of eggs, poultry, and pork.
The suit, which also names California Governor Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta, is largely focused on Proposition 12, a 2018 law that raised the minimum legal requirements of raising chickens, pigs, and calves among vendors who wish to sell their goods in one of the largest states.
“Through a combination of voter initiatives, legislative enactments, and regulations, California has effectively prevented farmers across the country from using a number of agricultural production methods which were in widespread use — and which helped keep eggs affordable,” the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit reflects President Donald Trump’s directive to address the “cost-of-living crisis,” which he laid out in an executive order during his first day in office. It comes after Trump celebrated the now-low cost of eggs, which fell from $8.17 for a dozen on average in March — the height of the national bird flu outbreak — to $2.54 at the start of July.
The Trump administration hopes to keep with the downward trend of the price of common foodstuffs with this lawsuit, which argues that California’s stringent production requirements are an attempt to supersede the Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970, which sets a federal standard for all egg products.
“Americans across the country have suffered the consequences of liberal policies causing massive inflation for everyday items like eggs,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “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.”
According to a new report from the Center for the Environment and Welfare, these regulations are not actually popular with Californians, but were passed with support from anti-meat activists.
The group has launched a campaign called “Food Price Fix,” which calls attention to groups like Mercy for Animals, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Humane World for Animals, which spent about $13 million lobbying for Prop. 12. These organizations’ missions include making everyone vegan and bringing “industrial civilization to its knees.”
Prop 12, the report found, raises the price of pork by 20% and the price of eggs up to $10 in some cases since it went into effect in 2022.
“These overreaching laws are a classic example of bad California mandates,” Center for the Environment and Welfare Executive Director Jack Hubbard told The Daily Wire. “Right now, people who have never stepped foot in California are paying the price for Prop 12. American families and farmers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for the Golden State’s mistakes.”
