Bird flu outbreaks have caused a surge in egg prices across Boise-area grocery stores, with prices increasing by as much as 40% over the past year. The main cause of this price hike is the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, which has been affecting commercial poultry farms and backyard chicken flocks.
According to Idaho State Veterinarian Scott Leibsle, bird flu outbreaks have been ongoing for two years, but they are currently flowing. Reports of bird flu in Idaho began to trickle in in late November, with five backyard farms in the state reporting positive cases last week.
However, large commercial poultry farms that distribute eggs across the country have also been affected by bird flu outbreaks. In fact, 63 bird flu detections were reported on commercial poultry farms in the US in the past month.
When a facility is identified as positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza, all remaining birds must be culled to prevent the spread of the virus. This leads to a significant disruption and an increase in egg prices, which can take time to recover from.
Farm owners such as Brad Keasal have taken precautions to avoid bird flu outbreaks on their farms. He has removed his “free range” label from packaging and restricted access for migratory birds.
The price hike is attributed to record-high prices driven by the bird flu outbreaks. The average cost of a dozen large grade-A eggs rose to $3.65 in November, with some stores reporting even higher prices due to supply shortages.
As the situation continues to unfold, shoppers may notice further price increases at their local grocery stores.
Source: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/01/why-egg-prices-soared-so-fast-at-idaho-stores-and-why-free-range-hens-are-at-risk