Monday, Nov. 03, 2008
A big victory in the fight against cruelty to farm animals
California's Proposition 2, otherwise known as the Standards for Confining Farm Animals Initiative, was approved by a 63% majority, which means that by 2015, egg-laying chickens, veal calves and pregnant pigs will have to be given enough room to stand up, turn around, lie down, and extend their limbs. Opponents of the measure had argued that the requirements will force egg producers in particular to increase prices and risk losing more business to out-of-state farmers who aren't subject to the new law. But a study by the University of California-Riverside put the likely cost increase at one cent per egg, a price 63% of California voters appear willing to pay.