California's Proposition 12, an animal welfare law, is being targeted by the Trump administration in a bid to reduce egg prices.

In California, eggs are more expensive due to a combination of factors including higher production costs, bird flu and the requirement that eggs be raised in a cage-free system. In January, a dozen eggs in California cost nearly $9, up about 70% since the previous month.

The USDA's new plan tackles H5N1 bird flu as an issue of economic concern, and leaves questions about how to manage the threat H5N1-infected cows pose to people.