The nonprofit association will serve as the voice for California egg farmers and an industry that produces 4.9 billion eggs a year, making California the fifth largest egg producer in the country.
"The state's egg farmers have a long history of providing a safe, healthy and nutritious source of food for California's families," said ACEF executive director Debbie Murdock.
"The egg farmers are establishing the Association of California Egg Farmers to ensure they can continue to meet consumer expectations for fresh and affordable eggs that meet food safety and animal care standards," she added.
ACEF's first task will be implementing Proposition 2, a ballot measure California voters approved in November 2008 that imposes new mandates on how the state's egg producers house their egg-laying hens.
The initiative provides no clear standards or guidelines for determining the amount of space the hens need to meet the new mandates, ACEF said.
