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Proposition could kill the goose that lays the golden egg
The debate over Proposition 2 is beginning to heat up. The proposition, which will appear on the November ballot, was designed to regulate treatment of farm animals. So far, voters seem to be in favor of the idea. According to a story in today's San Jose Mercury-News, a field poll found that two-thirds of California voters will mark their ballots in favor of the initiative.
Among other things, Prop 2 would end the common practice of housing egg-laying hens in cages in California starting in 2015. A new study released today by the UC Agricultural Issues Center found that nearly all of the $330 million
The UC research study concludes that non-cage production costs are so much higher than the costs of the cage systems, it would prevent California producers from competing with eggs produced in other states, which will not be required to follow the new regulations. A news release by ANR's Pam Kan-Rice about the AIC study was distributed to the media today. The release says the study was funded by the University of California, but it seems there may be some misinformation in the media about that point.
An article in the Fresno Bee last May said scientists at UC Davis and other institutions received $400,000 from the American Egg Board to study the use of cages for egg-laying chickens.
Freelance writer Don Curlee expressed outrage in his column about the proposition, which ran in various newspapers including the Visalia Times-Delta today. He wrote that the initiative was placed on the ballot by a "compact of kook-fringe animal rights advocates."
At least one reader took exception. "I'll be glad to pay extra at the supermarket, I already do for cage-free eggs and dairy-free products. But tsk, tsk, poor ag-lobbyist/publicist Mr. Curlee -- the only member of the 'kook-fringe' I see here," the reader wrote in the newspaper's online comments section.
It will be interesting to see following the November election who winds up with egg on their faces.
