Egg Prices Rise As New California Regulations Kick In

Jefferson Public Radio ^ | 12-22-14 | Chris Lehman

[smokingfrog]

Get ready to shell out more money for eggs. Some Northwest stores are warning of higher egg prices as new regulations on hen houses take effect in California next month.

California will now require egg producers to give their hens room to spread their wings -- literally. The law applies to all eggs sold in that state. That means egg producers nationwide are scrambling to make sure their cages comply.

Jim Hermes is a poultry specialist for the Oregon State University Extension Service. He said giving the hens more room increases their appetites.

"If you increase the amount of feed consumed by just one or two percent, that's a significant increase in the cost of production,” Hermes said. “And already the egg industry is working on a very low margin."

Hermes said relatively few Northwest eggs are exported to California so he expects any price hike to be moderate here.

[smokingfrog]

What Prop. 2 says is that laying hens must be able to stand up, lie down, turn around and fully extend their limbs.

The law takes effect in 2015.

[Red Badger]

... egg producers nationwide are scrambling ...

LOL!..........

[VanDeKoik]

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Because that was the border between California and a less insane state.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

That means egg producers nationwide are scrambling to make sure their cages comply.

BS. This is a CA reg and won't affect the eggs I buy from family farms in WI.

[Red Badger]

Smaller chickens will be bred, and result in smaller eggs at a higher cost..................

[FatherofFive]

Just stop selling eggs to California.

Let them pay $2 per egg. They did that during the gold rush.

[Red Badger]

Or those you raise by yourself..............

[Texas Eagle]

This won't just affect the price of eggs but everything that contains eggs.

I'm glad we have our own chickens.

[FatherofFive]

... egg producers nationwide are scrambling ...

I hope that was intentional. So funny.

[Dacula]

My girls have plenty of room. We haven’t had to buy eggs at the store in quite some time.

[CrazyIvan]

“shell out more money” wasn’t bad either.

[Red Badger]

I just hope they don’t wind up with egg on their faces................

[joshua c]

When we are paying for their cruise in the Bahamas, prices will really soar.

[TaMoDee]

My friend is a truck driver he will stop in AZ and pickup a dozen eggs or whatever we need. He makes the trip twice a week and will buy 6 dozen once a week for his family and a couple of friends. Good neighbor!

[Flycatcher]

The yolk is on us.

[Spartan79]

That means egg producers nationwide are scrambling to make sure their cages comply.

I doubt very seriously that many Arkansas or Iowa egg producers are scrambling to comply with California's new requirements. Maybe egg producers in Oregon or Arizona, but not much beyond contiguous states.

[FoxInSocks]

The point was that producers in other states are making changes so that they can sell eggs in California — I guess they eat lots of huevos there.

Probably be best if they all just stopped shipping eggs to California. Eggs would be far too expensive in CA, and a little cheaper for consumers elsewhere.

[Red Badger]

Eggzactly!................

[centurion316]

Fortunately, I can get farm eggs from several farmers on our road, at the feed store, or at our vet’s office. Lots choices, much better eggs. Loft dwellers are screwed.

[eyeamok]

Why, that would be me also.

Who is John Galt?