Egg Prices Surge Almost 100% Since October, Reports USDA
Over the last month, avian flu outbreaks have impacted more than 6 million birds.
Consumers in the United States are now paying nearly twice as much for eggs compared to a few weeks ago, as ongoing bird flu incidents continue to affect the supply chain, and frozen egg inventories remain below last year’s levels.
According to the USDA, demand for eggs during Thanksgiving was the lowest it has been since 2015. However, “with a shorter period between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, wholesale demand—which usually sees a brief dip after Thanksgiving—is expected to stabilize as preparations begin for December’s cookie baking season,” the report noted.
The current surge in bird flu is affecting the availability of cage-free eggs. California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon mandate that only cage-free eggs can be sold in their states.
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Emily Metz, President of the American Egg Board, commented, “We are redistributing eggs from other regions of the country that are producing cage-free to mitigate the low supply in these states, as these states permit only cage-free eggs for sale.”
Chad Hart, a professor and agricultural economist at Iowa State University, indicated that while the egg industry is making efforts to replenish its flock, this process may further limit supplies as farmers must retain some eggs to incubate into new chickens.
Current Flu Situation
Data from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reveals that as of November 29, 6.26 million birds have been affected by avian flu within the past month, encompassing both commercial and backyard flocks. California is the hardest-hit state, accounting for over 5.12 million infected birds.
“Egg prices for 2024 are anticipated to increase due to current prices and tight supplies. For 2025, egg price predictions have been adjusted upward for the first and second quarters as supplies improve,” the report stated.
This year, the most significant outbreak took place in Sioux, Iowa, back in May, affecting over 4.28 million birds, followed by Ionia, Michigan, which reported an outbreak involving 2.42 million birds in April.
“While the current risk to public health is low, the CDC is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with states to observe individuals with exposure to animals,” the agency noted.
This report includes contributions from the Associated Press.
