Iowa Egg Bill Signed into Law

April 2, 2018

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2408, known as the conventional egg bill, on March 21.   The law, passed by both the Iowa House and Senate with high majorities, 81-17 and 31-17 respectively, will become effective July 1, 2018.

The final version of the bill requires retailers participating in the federal supplemental food program for women, infants, and children (WIC) to make conventional eggs available to shoppers.  Conventional eggs are defined as any eggs other than specialty eggs:  cage-free, free-range, or enriched colony cage.

The bill does not require a grocery store to stock conventional eggs if selling eggs is not part of its normal business.  A grocer would also not need to stock conventionally produced eggs if the store’s inventory, prior to January 1, 2018, was limited to only specialty eggs.