Nevada lawmakers are fast-tracking a measure aimed at lowering the costs of eggs across the state. The Assembly Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved a measure on Monday to temporarily suspend a law requiring retailers to sell cage-free eggs.
Assembly Bill 171 would allow the state quarantine officer to temporarily suspend Nevada’s cage-free egg law during shortages caused by disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has created supply chain issues across the country.
Democratic Assemblymember Howard Watts is sponsoring the bill. He says lawmakers didn't foresee a bird-flu pandemic when the law was passed in 2021.
“It helps add additional tools and flexibility to our experts in the Department of Agriculture to help address the egg supply chain when we face an emergency situation such as a major animal disease outbreak.”
The bill also gives the Nevada Department of Agriculture the ability to secure eggs not normally sold in stores including Grade B eggs which are safe to eat, but are usually used to make liquid, frozen, and dried egg products
Lawmakers hope to have the bill on Governor Joe Lombardo’s desk by the end of the week.
