The US Agriculture Department predicts record egg prices will jump over 40% in 2025 as the Trump administration launches its plan to combat bird flu and reduce costs. The plan invests an additional $1 billion, on top of existing funds, to help farms strengthen their biosecurity measures.
Egg prices have risen to an all-time high of $4.95 per dozen this month, largely due to over 166 million birds being slaughtered to contain the virus. Most were egg-laying chickens, with over 30 million killed since January.
The USDA is working on identifying effective measures for farmers to prevent bird flu’s spread and will make biosecurity reviews available to more farms. The department has already reviewed about 150 farms and found only one had an outbreak afterward.
Egg prices are expected to rise further this year, with the average price concealing a staggering increase of over $12 per dozen in some places. Prices have more than doubled since the bird flu outbreak began, costing consumers at least $1.4 billion last year.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins expressed optimism that the plan will help reduce prices, but acknowledged it may take months to see an effect. The administration is also exploring vaccine development and potential importation of eggs from abroad to alleviate demand.
The new plan allocates funds for biosecurity measures, additional aid for farmers, research and development of vaccines, and relaxation of animal welfare rules in some states. USDA officials are confident that the resources will be sufficient to address the bird flu response despite recent workforce cuts.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/record-egg-prices-usda-bird-flu-virus-92e9f5fbc4e0a792be484a4aee5b9c16