Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Challenge to Michigan Hen Enclosure Law; State Animal-Welfare Standards Stand
LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Oct. 9 that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan dismissed, on Oct. 7, the Trump administration's challenge to Michigan's Hen Enclosure Law, preserving the state's right to enforce the animal-welfare statute.
In January 2026, the Trump administration sued the State of Michigan, seeking to displace the state's authority to ensure that eggs sold in Michigan come from birds kept under humane conditions. The federal government argued the state law was preempted by the federal Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA), and alleged that Michigan's enclosure standards — and similar laws nationwide — contributed to rising egg prices.
U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering held that the federal government failed to establish standing to challenge the law: it had not shown it was harmed by Michigan's enforcement, nor had it "establish[ed] a concrete and particularized injury to [the United States'] enforcement of EPIA." The court gave the federal government an opportunity to amend its complaint.
"I am pleased the District Court dismissed the Trump administration's flawed assault on Michigan's authority to protect the health and welfare of Michigan residents, as well as the animals we rely on to feed our families," Nessel said. "This lawsuit was a thinly veiled attempt by the federal government to shift blame for higher costs at the grocery store from the President's own failed policies to state laws that protect animal welfare."
The law's roots go back to 2019, when the Michigan Legislature amended the state's Animal Industry Act with bipartisan support to set minimum housing standards for egg-laying hens, requiring eggs sold in Michigan to come from animals kept in compliant conditions. In an unusual alignment, industry and animal-rights groups intervened on the same side to defend the law, including Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, Humane World for Animals and Animal Wellness Action.
The ruling keeps Michigan's cage-free egg standards in place for now and underscores the long-running tug-of-war between federal and state authority over animal-welfare regulation. The dispute could continue if the federal government amends its complaint and presses on.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer welcomed the ruling, saying, 'The president came to Michigan to take away your eggs — and lost.' The case stemmed from the Trump administration's April 2025 executive order, 'Ending Anti-Competitive Regulations.' Judge Beckering also noted that Michigan's law does not change how the U.S. Department of Agriculture grades or labels eggs, and that the USDA itself said it could continue grading Michigan eggs without disruption.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：笼养环境中的蛋鸡（资料图）。摄影：Andrew Skowron（Otwarte Klatki），CC BY 2.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
