I've been skeptical about Prop 2 ever since I heard about it. I spent time visiting egg farms around San Diego last summer and got to know some of the people who have made their lives on them. They told me tales of how there used to be so many egg ranches in the Ramona area, but how many of them have gone out of business because of competition from the mid-West, New Castle disease, and the general economics of egg farming. The few egg farmers that are left are scared that Prop 2 will put them out of business.

Prop 2 is called the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act. The text of the law is very short, and the important part is even shorter: A person shall not tether or confine any covered animal, on a farm, for all or the majority of any day, in a manner that prevents such animal from lying down, standing up, and fully extending his or her limbs, and turning around freely.

I spoke to Tom Lippie at Chore Time, the main company that makes equipment for egg producers, and asked him if Prop 2 would be a good thing for his company since they might be able to sell equipment to help California egg farms retool to larger cages or cage free systems. He said that it was uncertain. If farmers have to retool, he'll likely sell a lot of new equipment. But if they go out of business, he won't sell anything. For him, it's very unclear which way things may end up.

If prop 2 passes, there will be a 7 year period before it takes effect, so we'll have time to adapt in the case of closure or a transition to a new system. And since no other states currently have laws like prop 2, that might give time for these laws to be adopted in other states or for California to make a law prohibiting the import of eggs that don't comply with our our laws so we don't just export the issue.

Is prop 2 worth it? Are cage free chickens happier? From what I've seen with both the caged chickens and cage free chickens at Eben-Hazer, it's hard to tell. It's like being in a jail cell with a bunch of criminals, and then all the cell doors are thrown open. You're going to get your ass kicked. Free-range chickens peck at each other and the stronger ones win. There really is a pecking order. This even happens at very small farms like Kimber’s in San Marcos with under 200 pastured birds. But would I rather be in jail or out in the crowd occasionally getting my ass kicked? I'm just going to guess that chickens are happier out in the yard and that it's part of life that there will sometimes be casualties.

One point that was brought up when I talked to Kimber's was that most government regulation ends up hurting the smallest farms. She is torn about prop 2 because she generally dislikes government regulation. For example, there is talk of an animal ID law which would increase costs for small farms. But in the case of prop 2, I don't see where there would be greater costs to the smallest farms. It is government regulation though, but that's really the only way to address this kind of problem.

Also, what about the larger farms with millions of birds? You've probably seen videos online showing the cruel treatment of their birds. I'm almost certain that in large cage free operation, many of the same problems would exist.

I'll vote yes on prop 2. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the birds will be happier working through their pecking order and that some local farmers will be able to adapt successfully or that new farms would open up. We can learn a lot in 7 years and prop 2 will force us to learn it fast and hard. There will be casualties along the way and I'll be sad to see the pain it causes, but at least then we'll know if it can be done.

And in the meantime, if anyone knows the laws around having a few city chickens laying urban eggs for us in backyards around North Park, let me know!

Here is the blog I wrote last year about eggs in San Diego.