Egg prices skyrocket in California as new chicken housing law takes effect

Requiring 70% more room for the chickens is bound to raise prices. Instead if 20 chickens in a space, you can only have 12 to 13 now.
Thats like telling a farmer to plant his corn rows 70% farther apart.
That leads to less production on the same amount of space.

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Precisely so the prices will increase. Idk but to me if you support something and want change you should always read up on all the consequences. I don't know why some people got outraged, did they not realize the prices would increase?

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

No. Those evil profiteering farmers should just produce eggs out of the goodness of their hearts. Don't they know people need eggs?

Of course, if the farmers can't afford to feed their livestock or maintain them properly, no one will get eggs anymore, but no one ever considers that.

a reply to: ketsuko

No they don't. They hear the "benefits" but either ignore or never hear all of the consequences. People do not think, this is why governments exist. If you don't think it's easy to conquer you.

Economics. One factor affecting supply and demand. Perfect storm this year.

Others say the law is one of many factors for the sharply escalating prices. Dave Heylen, spokesman for the California Grocers Association, said others include an unseasonably high demand for eggs over the last couple of months, greater export demand and cold weather in the Midwest that slowed production.
....

The prices should correct themselves eventually, asserts the Humane Society of the United States, which sponsored Proposition 2. Egg prices always rise in winter, and their fluctuations are based on such factors as energy costs, feed prices and other variables, said Paul Shapiro, the HSUS’ vice president of farm animal protection.

“Prices for all animal products have increased this year due to high grain prices,” Shapiro told the Capital Press in an email. “Egg prices have increased less than prices for beef and pork, and remain one of the least expensive animal products in the marketplace.”
......

“If egg prices rise in California, it will be because many egg producers failed to use the six-year phase-in period to prepare for the law, and prices will subsequently fall as they did in Europe as supply adjusts to demand and as egg prices fluctuate as they normally would.”

ag source

Most US chickens are kept in notoriously small “battery cages,” which are illegal in Europe because they’re considered cruel and inhumane.

And now, the vast majority of US egg producers cannot sell eggs in California, which imports about one-third of its eggs each year. As a result, consumers in California will see immediate price increases—from 35% to 70% markups, according to one source quoted by NPR—and prices are expected to rise in the rest of the country, too, as farmers will either be spending on replacing their battery cages with alternative structures or reducing the sizes of their flocks (or both) to comply with the new standards.

source

originally posted by: Hoosierdaddy71

originally posted by: Chrisfishenstein
a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Where can you eat 6 meals (if you eat 2 eggs at a time) for $6? Nowhere....So the eggs aren't that bad of a price even at that, correct? The only reason you think it is high is because you are used to paying $2 for them....Which by comparison, what is the big deal with $4 more? I would rather see humane housing for animals and pay a little more to be sure they aren't being treated like a villain when these animals are putting a roof over these farmers heads....But that is just my humble opinion of course.

Very true.
But four dollar gas is cheap to and people still bitch about the price.
$2 egg up to $6 equals $3 gas going to $9

All I am saying is that changes and regulations have consequences. People better be prepared for the changes.

I don't know about you but I only buy a dozen eggs every 2-3 weeks....$6 so let's say $12 a month at the most!

I spend $35 in gas every 4-5 days....Your comparison between eggs and gas doesn't really compare to each other...Maybe like orange juice going to $9....Not gas

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein

It depends on how much you cook and what. We can buy a dozen eggs fairly regularly depending on our week.

and this is what`s wrong with our society, we have laws that regulate how much living space a chicken must have but we have no laws to ensure that Human Beings aren`t living on the streets.
We care more about the chickens that lay eggs for our breakfast than we do about our fellow Humans, a society like this is bound to fail.

Ok, so the eggs have went up anywhere from 20 cents to 3.00? Yes, there is some serious gouging going on in those prices twards the 3.00 mark.

First, how about they just put up a fence, instead of putting them in individual cages? Money saved.
If people don't want to pay that much, I'd bet there are some people, just outside of town, selling eggs cheaper.

For pete's sake, my chickens have a bit more than 116 inches per chicken. I sell my eggs at 1.00 a dozen. I only want the cost of feed, so my chickens don't cost me anything. So 3.00 a dozen would be a nice profit.

Not feeling sorry for the chicken farmers, if you can't find a less expensive way to raise them, that's your problem. They are VERY cheap to raise.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Raising chickens at home is not exactly the same as running a business raising chickens.
Business costs are ridiculous.

a reply to: Edumakated

I would hardly call these prices "exorbitant" - $5.29 for 18 "free range" eggs is £3.50. In the UK, where we've had even tougher animal welfare rules, we pay about the same.

It has to be said, with happier, healthier birds, the eggs are a damned sight tastier and more nutritious, so the "poorer" people can get a relatively easy food to prepare, for not much at all and get good eating out of it.

Whichever way you cut it, eating and preparing fresh is cheaper than eating fast food and better for you.

Well, good to see parts of the US improving their animal husbandry and welfare standards. Of course the price will rise, but then people can eat food that has not come from a revolting poor faming practices.

Let's see an end to the vast highly intensive pig farming enterprises and the introduction of half decent welfare. Happy pig. Let's seen an end to steroids in cattle. Happy cows.

If meat was more expensive due to decent animal welfare, then people could afford less meat and this would lead to less fat people. Everyone wins.

Regards

a reply to: paraphi

If you think that obesity is due to people eating too much meat, you're not paying attention. It comes from people who either don't know how to cook their own so they buy processed food or the people who buy the processed food because things like, I dunno, eggs cost $5 a carton so they load up on processed $0.99 Genos pizzas instead or a combination of the two.

They get fat off the cheap crap that expensive whole food trick them into buying.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
The people who voted for this law are obviously racists who hate the poor and minorities. Rich white people can still afford eggs. Too bad for the rest of you.

Ridiculous the comments... Oh those poor, poor, poor folk and minorities. Boo hoo a few extra bucks for eggs which are already a remarkably healthy and cheap food. I have lived and raised kids in poverty until recently and, while it's not easy, personal choices make it work.... Don't smoke, don't drink, don't buy your kid's fancy brand name shoes, don't buy lottery tickets, work a few extra hours, barter, etc. I can't believe the number of poor people I know who have terrible habits then blame the system (not all, of course). Not that the system is perfect but treating dependant animals well is good for our psyche as well and says a lot about a given society.

There is no excuse to keep animals in sub standard living spaces. I think this is a step in the right direction.

a reply to: ketsuko

$5 for 18 eggs is 27c per egg. You could have 2 eggs (scrambled, fried, poached..whatever) and 2 slices of toast instead of that 99c pizza and not only would you have a more nutritious meal, but it would still be cheaper.

It's a fallacy that processed food is cheaper. Sure, if you want to compare the cost of a (processed) single meal to a whole box of eggs - which you won't eat in a single sitting - it looks more expensive but you are being disingenuous.

a reply to: stumason

You don't have to tell me.

Tell that to the poor. There was even someone who posted on this very forum who was doing it, buying cheap convenience food because it was cheaper than whole food.

This doesn't help that problem out.

I've only read the first page of comments, and I think it's funny that some people are like, "Oh, well if it's better for the animals, I'm all for it," or whatever... If I'm not mistaking, a foot x a foot = 144 square inches. Granted, 112 sq in is better than 69, but not even a square foot for each bird? I guess if it's better, I'm all for it...

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

i live in ohio and eggs are 99 cents lol
good ol liberal california so worried about the damn chikens while kids are dying of dehydration in the world i cant wait
until california falls into ocean

originally posted by: paraphi
Well, good to see parts of the US improving their animal husbandry and welfare standards. Of course the price will rise, but then people can eat food that has not come from a revolting poor faming practices.

Let's see an end to the vast highly intensive pig farming enterprises and the introduction of half decent welfare. Happy pig. Let's seen an end to steroids in cattle. Happy cows.

If meat was more expensive due to decent animal welfare, then people could afford less meat and this would lead to less fat people. Everyone wins.

Regards

So it's your right to demand and expect policy change but not my right to eat more meat than you because you think it's more healthy?

Yep, sounds like an Elitist Liberal.

its true egg prices have doubled over the past five years, with new healthcare regulations and organic free-range conditions there is something different about eggs in the market today, sometimes impossible to crack/peel hardboiled eggs without falling to pieces

the techy guys are also investing in how to make a 'fake egg' for consumer consumption.