Lawmakers Propose Federal Egg-Production Bill

California Senator Dianne Feinstein, with support from her fellow lawmakers, has introduced a bill that would set a uniform federal standard for hens on egg farms. The measure, which is endorsed by both the United Egg Producers and the Humane Society of the United States, would require egg producers to nearly double the size of hens’ cages, and provide them with environmentally enriched living spaces with features such as perches and scratching areas. According to Feinstein, the legislation would solve the problems that arise as individual states implement their own standards for the egg industry. Without federal guidelines, she says, egg producers will be barred from selling to states with standards different from their own. Currently, six states have their own egg-production rules, with 18 more expected to follow suit.