Alabama's A.G. joins lawsuit against California

[The Straight Story]

Alabama's A.G. joins lawsuit against California
 
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Alabama's Attorney General Luther Strange has now joined a lawsuit to stop California from imposing laws on Alabama, and other states, regarding the way eggs are produced.

A.G. Strange joined the lawsuit on Wednesday in order to prevent the California law, which requires that eggs sold in stores may only come from chickens that live in larger-than-normal cages, from going into effect. Alabama is one of the top 15 largest egg producers in the United States, producing a total of 2.13 million eggs in 2012 according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Many of these eggs are sold in other states, including California.

"In Alabama, consumers are free to make their own choice of which eggs to buy at their grocery stores, and it is preposterous and quite simply wrong for California to tell Alabama how we must produce eggs," Strange said. "This is not an animal-welfare issue; it is about California's attempt to protect its economy from its own job-killing laws by extending those laws to everyone else in the country."

Voters in California passed a proposition, in 2008, that requires its own egg producers provide either free ranges or larger cages for hens. After egg producers stated that this would put them in an economic disadvantage with other states, California added in provisions that extended the mandate to any eggs imported from other states to be sold in California.

http://www.wsfa.com/story/24909366/ag-strange-joins-lawsuit-against-california

[Stargazer09]

1. Let them complain

You want to torture your chickens? Then you can keep your eggs in Alabama.

[n2doc]

2. Funny, I thought the free market would decide

If people in California down't want torture eggs, they can ban them. Go find another buyer, change, or go out of biz.

[JJChambers]

5. I don't think that's exactly right

With such eggs being illegal to import in CA, people do not have the option to vote with their dollars, so to speak. A true free market movement against such eggs would be when people simply choose not to purchase them, forcing the farmer in Alabama to change in order to continue doing business.

For the record, I would rather see free range chickens required by law across the country. And not the bullshit free range of having 10,000 chickens in horrible conditions in one chicken house, albeit outside of cages. That isn't free range.

[n2doc]

8. Well, Californians can complain

But this is about Alabama complaining. No one is forcing them to change. They just are losing access to a market if they don't change.

Reminds me of the fights over labeling milk as having come from non hormone enhanced cows. Industry didn't want the customer to know and to be able to make a choice.

[JJChambers]

9. Yes Alabama can complain all they want

I'm just saying it's not a result of the free market.

[joeybee12]

12. The people in California voted...you can quibble about the phucking free market...

But this was a democratic decision by the people of California, not something imposed upon them...they have the right to decide where their eggs come from.

[JJChambers]

14. That's not free market though

Free market would be each individual choosing whether or not to purchase the eggs, sans state regulation.

[Wounded Bear]

19. But they don't have that choice...

if the eggs are not properly labeled for sale in California. That would be Alabama forcing California to accept something they find unacceptable.

Fuck Alabama. If they'd pay the chickens union scale, this wouldn't be an issue. (Sorry, couldn't resist )

This goes right back to the corporate model. This is the "let them sell insurance across state lines" of food production. It has nothing to do with the state lines. They can already do that. It has to do with corporate entities being able to produce in the lowest cost place and sell to places with stricter regulation without penalty. It goes back to profit at the public's expense.

As they say, follow the money.

[JJChambers]

20. Or, in this case, the chicken's expense (nt)

[jeff47]

16. Yes, they do still have the option to vote with their dollars

It's called "moving to another state".

That seems to be the solution free-market-fans use when someone decries the lack of regulation in states like Alabama.

[Downwinder]

3. It is a free country, don't ship to California.

[KeepItReal]

4. Yep. That's what free market principles say.

Don't wanna change your business practices? Don't do business with folks that don't like them.

So what if you lose business, right?

[Downwinder]

6. California might notice a lack of eggs and change the law.

[upaloopa]

10. No way we have many egg producers

We have a state were we let people make choices at the poles. We voted we don't want tortured eggs. Others will have to live with it.

[bemildred]

11. The law was passed by initiative. It's not going anywhere.

And we are the largest agricultural state in the country, and that includes eggs.

[jeff47]

17. Why do Alabama businessmen get to decide what California's regulations are? (nt)

[HereSince1628]

7. Honestly, won't egg productions soon be the lowest standard among TPP nations?

Maybe Alabama egg producers just need a little patience then they can blame Obama.

[PowerToThePeople]

13. I enjoy when the "good guy" wins

California is implementing standards that the California voters want.

Too bad for the animal abusing Alabamans.

[JJChambers]

15. I hope you raise your own chickens and harvest your own eggs

Fresh omelets are delicious. Mushrooms, peppers, diced onions, a bit of ham and bacon, sprinkled with extra sharp cheddar. Mmmm.

[displacedtexan]

21. My egg guy at the farmers' market in downtown San Francisco...

...sells me 30 Grade A extra large whites for baking @ $5, and he sells me a dozen exquisitely rich tasting browns for $3.50. All of his eggs are locally produced and certified at every step in the sales process, especially by the farmers' market association.

Why in the holy hell would I want some unsourced Alabama crap eggs?

[Spider Jerusalem]

18. The state of California has every right...

to mandate that eggs, poultry, and meat products sold in California were produced under certain conditions; if Alabama's chicken-farmers don't like it, I'm sure that there are plenty elsewhere who'll suck it up because they don't want to be shut out of the largest market in the US.