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If you’ve noticed that eggs are more expensive at the supermarket, you’re not alone—and it’s not just the usual grocery inflation you’re seeing in other aisles at the store. The USDA has confirmed that an avian flu is spreading among many birds in the United States, infecting both backyard and commercial chickens and turkeys alike.
Egg prices are already on the rise, according tothe USDA Egg Market Report, from a low point of about $1.40 per dozen in March 2022 to a national average of $3.26 in January 2023, when the most recent report was released. Inflation coupled with an increase in feed prices due to the war in Ukraine are the two major causes. The shrinking number of the layer chickens in the U.S. hasn’t helped, according toanimal protein economist Brian Earnest of Cobank. As the outbreak goes on, further depopulation could compound the problem.
Right now, the USDA lists just two flocks of commercial poultry birds affected, but if the flu continues to spread, we could see additional hikes on poultry as well. Supplies are good for now—both the USDA’s egg market and broiler market reporting shows that there’s more than enough to go around.
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