EDITOR:

I just read Daniel Van Beek’s response to my January 25 letter regarding Michigan’s new egg law. After reading it, I couldn’t help but wonder “did he actually read my letter or did he just glance and react to it?”

I didn’t need his history lesson regarding this law, but I suppose he thought that if he just explained that this stupid Bipartisan law was 15 years in the making that would somehow make it more palatable….it doesn’t.

In support of his postion, Mr Van Beek quotes the writings of Jerry Neyer that appeared in the Detroit Free Press. Mr. Neyer is a state representative and a dairy farmer by trade. Since the subject is egg production, I fail to see the relevance of a milk producers input. Perhaps Representative Neyer will introduce a bill to ban margarine in Michigan and drive up the price of butter.

In support of my position I will stay close to home and quote a recent article about egg prices that appeared in our beloved Daily Press: cage free has increased egg prices in all ten states that have adopted it.” As an example, the writer used a Target store in Chicago that was selling large regular eggs for $4.49 and cage free eggs for $6.19 a dozen.

The timing of this law taking effect is not lost on me. After 15 years of delays, the bird flu offered perfect cover for a state law that would increase the price of eggs in Michigan.

The bird flu will come and go, but the impact of a bad law will be with us forever. A government mandated restriction on the supply of a food staple during a time of shortage is nothing less than government negligence, pure and simple.

Charles Smouthers, Jr.

Rapid River