Egg prices hit record high
The average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs hit a new record in January 2024, said the latest consumer price index.
The cost of a dozen Grade A eggs in cities throughout the United States was $4.95, 13 cents higher than the previous record of $4.82.
That record was set in January 2023, said data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, prices did not stay that high for long and by May 2023, the average price of a dozen eggs had fallen to $2.67.
The average price of a dozen eggs increased by 80 cents from December to January. In December, the average price for a dozen Grade A eggs was $4.15.
The last time eggs averaged below $3 a dozen was in June 2024, when they were $2.72, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics' website. The average price of a dozen eggs has not been below $2 since January 2022, when they were $1.93.
There are several factors driving the increased cost of eggs: the ongoing bird flu outbreak, which is technically known as "Highly pathogenic avian influenza" (HPAI), and laws that require grocery stores to sell cage-free eggs.
The HPAI epidemic resulted in a record number of deaths of egg-laying hens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a recent report. In the last quarter of 2024, more than 20 million egg-laying hens were killed to prevent the spread of bird flu.
"Unlike in past years, in 2024, all major production systems experienced significant losses, including conventional caged, cage-free, and certified organic types," said the USDA's report.
Once bird flu is detected, a farm must cull all the birds in the flock. This has had a devastating impact on the egg industry, as it takes approximately five months for a chicken to mature.
Apart from bird flu, several states have laws requiring that all eggs sold to be "cage-free," meaning the birds are not raised in cages. These are typically more expensive than conventional eggs even absent an outbreak of bird flu.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
While egg expert Lisa Steele told Fox News Digital that pasture-raised chickens produce the "gold standard" of eggs, these birds are at an increased risk of illness.
"Poultry get HPAI from infected waterfowl (ducks and geese) and gulls, which may frequent wetlands on farms. Thus, poultry raised outdoors or with outdoor access are at greater risk of HPAI," said the University of Minnesota's website on avian influenza.
"Infected poultry can spread disease to new flocks through contact with birds, people, manure and equipment. HPAI viruses can exist in bird waste for several months, especially under high-moisture and low-temperature conditions," said the University of Minnesota.
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