Latest news with #HickmansEggRanch
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
Odd Lots: A Major American Egg Farm Just Lost 90% of its Chickens
Egg prices have come down a lot since their recent record and bird flu has largely faded from the headlines. But the epidemic is still raging and, per one farmer, risks becoming endemic in the US. Glenn Hickman is president of Hickman's Egg Ranch in Arizona, one of the largest egg producers in the US. You might remember him from our series last year, Beak Capitalism, in which we explored some of the thorniest issues facing the US economy through the medium of chickens. Well, news from the Hickman farm since then hasn't been good. A bird flu outbreak has led to the destruction of 90% of Glenn's chicken stock. We talk about the impact on Glenn's business, egg prices, and why the US isn't vaccinating its chickens.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
A Major American Egg Farm Just Lost 90% of its Chickens
Listen to Odd Lots on Apple Podcasts Listen to Odd Lots on Spotify Subscribe to the newsletter Egg prices have come down a lot since their recent record and bird flu has largely faded from the headlines. But the epidemic is still raging and, per one farmer, risks becoming endemic in the US. Glenn Hickman is president of Hickman's Egg Ranch in Arizona, one of the largest egg producers in the US. You might remember him from our series last year, Beak Capitalism, in which we explored some of the thorniest issues facing the US economy through the medium of chickens. Well, news from the Hickman farm since then hasn't been good. A bird flu outbreak has led to the destruction of 90% of Glenn's chicken stock. We talk about the impact on Glenn's business, egg prices, and why the US isn't vaccinating its chickens.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Egg price rise on the cards as bird flu decimates more farms
Hickman's Egg Ranch, Arizona 's largest egg producer, has lost 95 percent of its chickens due to bird flu, potentially raising egg prices. The Arizona Department of Agriculture reported a third commercial farm in Maricopa County had also tested positive for bird flu. Hickman's Egg Ranch CEO Glenn Hickman stated that the company has lost 170 million birds since the bird flu outbreak began in February 2022 and estimates it will take 20 months to fully repopulate the farms. Supply chain expert Hitendra Chaturvedi suggests Arizona 's egg supply could be significantly reduced, increasing prices, while Hickman believes the market impact will be minimal. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised President Trump for reducing egg prices, attributing the previous spike to the Biden administration's policies.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
One of the nation's largest egg producers has lost 95% of its chickens to bird flu. It could spell price hikes
Arizona's largest egg producer has lost 95 percent of its chickens due to the bird flu, signaling a potential price increase for eggs. On Monday, the Arizona Department of Agriculture announced a third commercial farm had tested positive for bird flu in Maricopa County. At the same time, Hickman's Egg Ranch, which is Arizona's largest egg producer and one of the nation's top 20 producers, has had to destroy the chickens at three of its four farms due to the bird flu. "All of our layer flocks have been on the west side of town, have been determined to be positive. We're in the act of depopulating those farms and removing the chickens and trying to start the cleanup process," Glenn Hickman, the president and CEO of Hickman's Egg Ranch, told Fox 10 Phoenix. Hickman expressed his frustration at the three-year-long flu forcing him to destroy egg-laying chickens. "You know, since this outbreak started in February of 2022, we've lost 170 million birds and that's just got to stop," he said. According to Hickman, it will take 20 months to fully repopulate his farms. The company is trying to get by in the meantime with help from other farms. "Thankfully, we have some other farmers that we are cooperative with, and some of those have had some extra eggs. So we've been able to kind of reshift and reprioritize where those eggs are going," he said. While egg prices have been lowering around the country since they spiked earlier this year, a supply chain expert told Fox 10 Phoenix that there is a chance that egg prices in Arizona will increase. "Hickman's supplies about 80 percent of Arizona's egg production. You are reducing about 80 percent of Arizona's supply chain from about 2.2 billion to 450 million eggs," Hitendra Chaturvedi, an Arizona State University Professor of Practice for the department of supply chain management told the broadcaster. Hickman disagreed, and said the impact of losing his chickens on the market will be "pretty nominal." Arizona's egg struggles are playing out as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is singing President Donald Trump 's praises for a reduction in egg prices. She blamed the spike in egg prices on former President Joe Biden 's administration. "I remember my very first briefing, I was asked about the cost of eggs, the reporter tried to insinuate this administration was at fault, even though he had only been here for a few days or weeks," Leavitt said. "It was a result of the previous administration's terrible polices and in record time, this president has fixed that problem he inherited from Joe Biden, and prices have dropped 61 percent since this president took office." According to Trading Economics data, white, large shell eggs are around $2.52 per dozen nationally. On January 21, the same carton would have cost approximately $6.49, nationally. According to analysts at Clarify Capital, the price drop is partially a result of Americans buying fewer eggs due to their spike in prices — thus creating more supply — and a lull in new bird flu cases. Reuters also reported in April that the U.S. has increased its egg imports from Turkey, Brazil, and South Korea to help bolster supply and bring down prices. Since the outbreak began in 2022, the bird flu has affects more than 166 million birds, including 127 million egg laying birds.
