(Denver, CO) -- Colorado residents testified passionately in a legislative committee this week that prices of eggs are out of reach for many people.
A bill that would have repealed House Bill 20-1343's standards which required that egg-laying hens be in a cage free environment drew hours of testimony with many waiting in an overflow room next door.
Many testifying in committee stated they believed if the bill was repealed, egg prices could come down. Valamere Archeletta appeared before committee as a concerned Colorado citizen. He agreed that the original bill, which mandated that chickens be in a cage-free facility in Colorado might have had good intentions for the animals but he furthered that it's the people we should be concerned about. Prices of eggs have increased by several dollars a dozen in recent weeks.
"Increases in prices don't significantly affect the wealthy, but they do have a substantial impact on low income families and individuals." Archeletta finished.
"We'll be watching."
Bill Schevy from the Colorado Egg Producers opposed the bill because he felt the rationale behind it lacked understanding of the cause of the high price of eggs right now. He explained that supply and demand were driving the costs up along with the avian flu which is affecting many areas of the country. Schevy also cautioned the committee that reversing the law now that egg producers have their operations changed over and in place could cause market instability.
Chris House who represents large grocers in Colorado as President of the Colorado Retail Council asked legislators to consider adding an amendment that had three parts. There could be an exception for a time when the Governor declared a state of disaster, a public healthy emergency, or if the avian flu was identified to be affecting Colorado. The suspension of the law would allow Colorado retail outlets to buy their eggs from neighboring states. The amendment was attempted but lost.
"What would be easier for us as a legislature to do, control avian bird flu or take an amendment like Mr. House offered?" Representative Ty Winter asked.
"We're at a crossroads, what can we do at this point, I mean with affordability, do you have any recommendations, cause I think people are really trying to fix this, I think it's being made political. I think people are just really trying to fix affordability issues and run common sense legislation so I mean, we're open to helping people."
The bill was postponed indefinitely.
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