LANSING (WWJ) -- A Michigan lawmaker wants to try to bring down egg prices with new legislation.
Republican State Sen. Lana Theis has introduced a bill to repeal Michigan's cage-free eggs mandate — which just took effect this month.
According to Theis, who represents Michigan's 22nd district, egg prices have soared by 36.8% over the past year, with prices reaching a high of nearly $9 per dozen in certain areas.
Theis said that while H5N1 Avian Flu is the primary cause of egg price increases, the cage-free mandate put extra stress on farmers and producers.
“In 2024 alone, over 40 million egg-laying hens were lost nationwide due to the spread of bird flu, with Michigan accounting for 6.5 million of those losses — 16.5% of the national total,” said Theis, of Brighton. “These devastating numbers have disrupted supply chains, leading to shortages and historically high prices at the grocery store.”
Michigan is one of only five states that require all eggs to come from cage-free systems.
While cage-free systems have been said to be cleaner and better for the animals living within them, Iowa State University agricultural economist Professor Chad Hart said states with cage-free mandates are more susceptible to Bird Flu outbreaks due to the nature of their production systems.
Theis also noted that cage-free egg production is significantly more expensive then traditional factory farming, requiring higher labor, housing and operational costs. These costs are passed on to consumers, who are already grappling with inflation and rising food prices.
“We cannot promise this legislation will immediately lower egg prices, but we can remove one of the factors contributing to the financial strain on both farmers and families,” Theis said. “By giving producers greater flexibility to choose systems that work best for their operations, we are empowering them to focus on rebuilding healthy flocks and stabilizing the egg supply.”
This comes as some experts have warned egg prices could climb another 20% in 2025 as the bird flu epidemic shows no signs of slowing down.
“This is a commonsense solution to help Michigan farmers recover while making it easier for families to afford a basic staple,” Theis said. “Our farmers are some of the hardest-working people in the state, and we owe it to them, and to every Michigander struggling at the grocery store, to address the issues driving up costs and creating shortages.”
The legislation, Senate Bill 28, was referred to committee on Jan. 28.