Trump administration challenges Michigan’s cage-free egg law

The Trump administration is taking Michigan to court docket, arguing {that a} 2019 legislation requiring all eggs offered within the state to be produced by cage-free chickens creates pointless regulatory hurdles and is partly answerable for greater grocery retailer costs.

In a lawsuit filed on Thursday, Jan. 22, within the U.S. District Court docket for the Western District of Michigan, Justice Division attorneys argue that solely the federal authorities can regulate what sorts of eggs are offered within the state, particularly noting that Michigan’s cage-free legislation applies to eggs produced exterior the state, in addition to inside it.

“Michigan’s imposition of state-specific egg high quality requirements has elevated costs for U.S. shoppers,” the lawsuit mentioned. “By intent and impact, Michigan’s ban on nonconforming eggs limits provide and will increase compliance prices, contributing to greater costs for American households. Whatever the intent or impact of Michigan’s Gross sales Ban, it’s the federal authorities’s sole prerogative to manage the standard and inspection of eggs in interstate commerce.”

The DOJ factors to the Egg Merchandise Inspection Act, a 1970 legislation that created federal requirements for the inspection of egg merchandise. The DOJ says the legislation is meant to remove disparate inspection requirements throughout the states.

In Michigan, lawmakers and Governor Gretchen Whitmer handed laws in 2019 to mandate that each one eggs offered within the state be produced by cage-free chickens. The legislation got here into impact on the finish of 2024. When it was handed, the coverage had bipartisan help. The coverage amended a 2009 legislation that aimed to mandate bigger cages for chickens by 2019.

The 2019 law prescribes all farms with greater than 3,000 laying hens can’t use cage techniques to have their eggs offered in Michigan. The legislation applies to merchandise containing shell eggs and subsequently doesn’t cowl liquid eggs or egg extract merchandise.

“Cage-free” doesn’t essentially imply that chickens roam utterly free. Michigan legislation follows the Requirements for United Egg Producer 2017 for cage-free requirements, which suggests the chickens will need to have at the least 1 sq. meter of ground area.

At present, fifteen states, together with Michigan, have legal guidelines banning or proscribing the usage of cages for laying hens. according to cagefreelaws.com. The DOJ also charged California on egg manufacturing necessities in July.

The Trump administration is asking a decide to completely implement Michigan’s cage-free egg legislation, declaring it inconsistent with the Supremacy Clause, a constitutional framework that holds that federal legislation preempts state legislation. The case was assigned to U.S. District Decide Jane Beckering, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, in Grand Rapids.

The lawsuit names Michigan, Michigan Division of Agriculture and Rural Growth Director Tim Boring and Legal professional Normal Dana Nessel as defendants. Danny Wimmer, Nessel’s press secretary, mentioned through electronic mail Jan. 23 that the lawyer common’s workplace has not but been served with the lawsuit however plans to reply in court docket as soon as the lawsuit is served.

Whereas the lawsuit claims state legislation is partly answerable for greater egg costs, federal information reveals the price of a dozen eggs is decrease now than when President Donald Trump took workplace in January 2025. On common, a carton of a dozen massive Grade A eggs value $2.71 in December, in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer price index. That determine was $4.95 in January 2025 and peaked at $6.23 in March. Nonetheless, general meals costs have risen over the previous 12 months, client information reveals. What the BLS considers the worth of “eat at home” was 2.4% dearer nationally in December than twelve months beforehand.

Michigan is the tenth highest egg producing state in the US, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This story has been up to date so as to add new data.

Detroit Free Press meals author Susan Selasky contributed with earlier reporting.

You may attain Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com.