Topic: US News
by MPeriod
Posted 9 months ago
This article covers the U.S. Agriculture Department's projections for egg prices, measures to combat bird flu, and the government's response plan. Key topics include:
The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) predicts that egg prices could rise over 40% by 2025. This comes as the Trump administration outlines its plan to combat bird flu and reduce costs.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced an additional $1 billion investment on top of the $2 billion already spent to control the bird flu outbreak that began in 2022.
This month, average egg prices soared to a record high of $4.95 per dozen. The rise is attributed to the culling of over 166 million birds, primarily egg-laying hens, to limit the spread of the virus. Over 30 million have been killed just this year.
Farmers are implementing strict biosecurity measures to protect their flocks. These include:
Identification of effective measures is ongoing, with the USDA conducting reviews of farm biosecurity protocols. Currently, one farm had an outbreak post-review, indicating the need for stricter adherence to these measures.
The USDA now anticipates a 41.1% increase in egg prices this year, up from an earlier estimate of 20%. Consumers may face prices exceeding $1 per egg in some regions.
Before the outbreak, egg prices were significantly lower, and this situation has stranded consumers with rising costs estimated at $1.4 billion in 2022 alone. Many restaurants have even added surcharges on egg dishes.
Secretary Rollins mentioned that it will take some time for consumers to see effects at checkout. The cleaning and restocking of infected farms is a lengthy process, but there is hope that the initiative will ultimately help stabilize prices.
Analysts express cautious optimism. Some trade associations in the egg and poultry sectors have supported the government's strategy.
The proposed plan includes:
The USDA has already compensated farmers around $1.2 billion for birds that required slaughtering. Additional funds will assist in swift restocking of flocks.
The administration is considering importing 70-100 million eggs soon. However, with 7.57 billion table eggs produced last month, these imports likely won't significantly impact prices.
While vaccines may reduce the number of birds slaughtered in an outbreak, they are not yet approved for widespread use. Current prototypes require individual shots that may hinder export capabilities.