William A. Masters

Professor of agriculture and food policy at Tufts University

Jennifer Hashley

Director of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

We are proud of Massachusetts farmers, all but one of whom already meets the proposed standard. For that reason, Question 3 would have little impact on in-state farms.

William A. Masters and Jennifer Hashley: 

<img class="size-large wp-image-92611" src="https://media.wbur.org/wp/2016/10/MASTERS-William-A.-Ballot-3-Banner-2-1000x628.jpg" alt="William A. Masters and Jennifer Hashley: " width="1000" height="628" /> <em>William A. Masters and Jennifer Hashley: "The poorest often depend on SNAP or WIC benefits that do not adjust when healthier foods like fresh eggs become more expensive relative to less nutritious items."</em> Pictured: Eggs laid by cage-free chickens sit in a holder after being sorted at a farm near Waukon, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

An important clue to the effects of Question 3 on consumer prices comes from the fact that big egg producers are not campaigning very hard against the measure.

Keeping Eggs Affordable: The Case Against Massachusetts Ballot Question 3

We strongly support the animal welfare objectives of Question 3, write William A. Masters and Jennifer Hashley, but the more we learn about the measure, the more harmful we find its unintended consequences are likely to be. Pictured: Cage-free chickens walk in a fenced pasture at an organic farm near Waukon, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)