U.S. Consumer Egg Prices Could Rise by 25 Percent if Animal Rights Activists Get Their Way
Gov't Spending on Food Assistance for the Needy Would Increase by $169 million
Cheap Imports Would Increase Food Safety Dangers
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers would be forced to pay 25 percent more for eggs soon if animal rights activists succeed in getting only non-cage eggs sold in the U.S., according to a new study by a respected economic consulting group. That increase would cost consumers $2.6 billion more each year for eggs, a nutritional staple in the American diet. The higher costs would strain Americans' budgets during a difficult economic climate.
Federal spending on food assistance programs for children and the needy also would increase by $169 million annually if the government could only purchase cage-free eggs, according to the study by Promar International, a Washington, D.C. economic consulting firm. Significant amounts of eggs are purchased for the school lunch and breakfast program ($47 million annually); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC-$100 million); and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-formerly the Food Stamp Program).
The study predicts that such a dramatic consumer cost increase could open the door to a sharp rise in egg imports from other countries that have far lower food safety and animal welfare standards than the United States. Egg imports could rise from virtually zero today to 7 billion eggs annually, seriously straining the ability of the U.S. government's food safety inspection system.
"If we have to start importing eggs into this country we will increase our food safety risks," said Gene Gregory, president of United Egg Producers, a national cooperative of U.S. family egg farmers. "I don't think American consumers really want to play Russian Roulette with every carton of eggs they buy, which is essentially what would happen if we allow special interest groups to force a ban on the most modern, sanitary egg housing systems in the world. Those systems are used to produce 95 percent of the eggs that American consumers buy every day."
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Regardless of what the Humane Society of the United States tries to tell us, their actions are either going to make our food more expensive, less safe or both. Those are the only possible outcomes of their stated goals. For the voters that continue to support their measures, these are consequences for their actions as well. This part of the story isn’t being told very well and it needs to be. Having a safe, affordable, domestically grown food supply is vital to our nation’s future success.
4 comments:
Where do I sign up to stop this? Who do I contact to stop this? Just let me know and I will do it! This has got to be stopped. Thanks so much for your time and your blog; I really enjoy reading it as well as your comments to them.
And we get free-range eggs from our neighbor lady for 33% less than crappy factory eggs at the store. Let's see your factory farmers beat that safe, affordable, domestically grown food supply.
"And we get free-range eggs from our neighbor lady for 33% less than crappy factory eggs at the store."
If you are fortunate enough to have a reliable supply of fresh eggs next door, kudos. But I'm sure that your situation represents the minority of egg consumers. Raising prices in groceries harms the majority of consumers who are unlucky enough to not have a kindly "neighbor lady" with a few hens.
(And considering those eggs were probably plucked out of dirt or chicken excrement, they may not be as "safe" as you think.)
Thank you, Troy, for telling the positive story of America's agriculture!
I don't have a problem with free-range eggs. My grandmother grew chickens for years on her farm. There is nothing better than home grown food of any sort; whether it's beef, poultry, pork, or vegetables. I don't care if free-range eggs are offered in stores. That's great. However, let consumers decide what they'd rather have. These products should not be forced on consumers. Products fed in 'confinement' are good; darn good. I take pride in the hard work that we put in to turn out a good product that people enjoy. And they DO enjoy it! I have no doubt that you can purchase local home-grown eggs cheaper than you can get them in a grocery store; however, if this becomes the ONLY method in which people can get their eggs, then it WILL become more costly to the consumer.
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