US voters opt for conventional cage ban in California

This week’s US presidential election has generated much media attention with voters electing the country’s first black president. But in California, voters also made history by voting for a ban on conventional cage egg production.

As reported by Capital Press, Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary and one of the chief proponents of the proposition said “the victory is a landmark.

“The passage of Prop 2 in the country’s largest agricultural state marks a monumental victory for farm animals,” he said.

“Today marks a significant change in the way we view and treat farm animals and falls closer in line with public sentiments and values of compassion. We look forward to seeing these confinement systems phased out nationwide.”

Egg producers will have until 2015 to comply with the rules.

However, many producers have said they will consider moving their operations to other states, or even to Mexico, as the rule does not ban the sale of conventional eggs in California. The state already imports about one third of its shell eggs from other states.