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ricultural products sold in interstate commerce. The provision, authored by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is aimed at a California law that will require all eggs sold in the state to come from hens that inhabit cages in which they can spread their wings -- a major burden for egg producers in Iowa and other states who don't use large cages and still want to sell eggs to the lucrative California market. The law goes into effect in 2015.
• "Bottom line of it is no state should be allowed to regulate production in other states," King said at a meeting of House-Senate negotiators last month.
• But opponents say that depending on how the language is interpreted, the provision could lead to challenges of dozens of other state laws -- including some aimed at food safety, fire safety and basic consumer protections.
• Concern over King's language has the potential to threaten the entire farm bill, which congressional leaders are hoping to finish by the end of the year. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said she has "great concern" about King's language, which is not in the Senate version of the farm bill. Led by the Humane Society of the United States, a wide range of groups including the National Association of State Legislatures, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Consumer Federation of America are all lobbying against the measure.
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More turmoil likely after Toronto city council strips mayor of powers during stormy session
• TORONTO (AP) -- After a tempestuous debate, Toronto's City Council has stripped Mayor Rob Ford of the last of his substantive powers because of multiple scandals, but further turmoil seems inevitable.
• The mayor, defiant despite admissions of illegal drug use and heavy drinking, vowed "outright war" to take on his critics in next year's election.
• "This is nothing more than a coup d'etat," Ford said just before a series of votes went against him on Monday. "What's happening here today is not a democratic process -- it's a dictatorship process."
• The council session was one of the stormiest in memory as the burly mayor argued with colleagues and members of the public and at one point knocked down a petite councilwoman as he charged toward one of his hecklers. Cries of "Shame, shame" came from the gallery.
• The council voted overwhelmingly in favor of slashing Ford's office budget by 60 (Continued on page 34)
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