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Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
To help solve its egg price crisis, America is turning to Turkey (the country)
America's egg shortage has led US businesses to turn to Turkey. Not the bird, the country. Turkey plans to export 420 million eggs to the United States this year, the most ever, according to the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. The ramped-up exports come as avian flu has killed more than 140 million egg-laying birds in the United States since 2022, and 17 million alone in November and December. Fewer birds means fewer eggs — and higher prices. 'Bird flu is the main reason of increasing export capacity,' said Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. A carton of a dozen large Grade A eggs hit an average of $4.95 last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Costco and Trader Joe's are limiting egg purchases per customer and Waffle House is charging a 50-cent surcharge per egg. It will take months to replace lost flocks, and the US Department of Agriculture is forecasting an additional 20% increase in egg prices this year. The price of eggs rose 15.2% in January and are up 53% year over year, according to January's Consumer Price Index. US businesses have taken it upon themselves to look for supply beyond our borders. And Turkey is the only country the United States imports eggs from, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Still, experts warn the increased egg imports won't make much of a dent in America's egg shortage. 'While this is enough to offset some productions losses, it won't provide much support if HPAI (avian flu) continues at its current pace,' said Bernt Nelson, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. The US produces more than 7.5 billion eggs per year on average, according to the American Egg Board. That number will fall this year as the avian flu continues to claim the lives of more birds. 'We support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the US egg supply as we navigate this challenging time of continued highly pathogenic avian influenza detections,' said Chad Gregory, president and CEO of United Egg Producers. 'Like everyone, we want to solutions to this situation.' One solution, at least for now, is importing more eggs. In 2024, the United States imported 71 million eggs from Turkey, according to the USDA. This year's imports will be nearly six times that based on the Egg Producers Central Union's estimates. By July, Turkey will deliver 240 million eggs to the United States, with the rest coming by the end of the year. Turkey is the fifth-largest egg exporter in the world behind the Netherlands, United States, Poland and Germany. In 2023, Turkey exported $411 million worth of eggs worldwide, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. Turkey's export volume to the United States this year will total $37 million, according to the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. Doug Corwin, who had to cull his flock of 99,000 ducks on his farm in Long Island after the virus was detected, says it's time to start vaccinating birds against the virus. Last week the USDA issued a conditional license for an avian flu vaccine for chickens. Zoetis, the manufacturer behind the vaccine, said the 'license was granted on the demonstration of safety, purity, and reasonable expectation of efficacy based on serology data.' But vaccinations create a literal chicken and egg problem: Although many egg producers favor vaccinating chickens, poultry producers worry vaccinations would create trade problems. If a country starts vaccinating its birds, the virus could be seen as endemic, and it can be hard to detect the virus in inoculated birds. Countries could become less eager to buy poultry from the United States, which is the world's largest poultry producer and second-largest exporter of poultry meat, according to the USDA. Meanwhile, the White House says it is working on a plan to combat the avian flu. On Sunday, Kevin Hassett, the Director of the White House Economic Council, said on CBS' 'Face the Nation' that the plan involves biosecurity, medication and a perimeter. 'Having a smart perimeter is what we're working on, and we're finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government. And that's the kind of thing that should have happened a year ago, and if it had, then egg prices would be, you know, a lot better than they are now,' Hassett said on 'Face the Nation.' Experts in the agricultural community say more funding and staffing is needed in research and surveillance of the virus. This comes at a time when the Trump administration is doing the opposite. There have been thousands of reported layoffs at agencies including the CDC and USDA. 'If ever there was a time when it was absolutely critical to not infuse more chaos into the system, this is it,' said Rebecca Carriere Christofferson, an associate professor of pathobiological studies at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Earlier this week, the USDA had to revoke termination letters it sent to workers supporting the bird flu response. CNN's Isil Sariyuce and Maria Sole Campinoti contributed to this report.
CNN
24-02-2025
- Business
- CNN
To help solve its egg price crisis, America is turning to Turkey (the country)
America's egg shortage has led US businesses to turn to Turkey. Not the bird, the country. Turkey plans to export 420 million eggs to the United States this year, the most ever, according to the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. The ramped-up exports come as avian flu has killed more than 140 million egg-laying birds in the United States since 2022, and 17 million alone in November and December. Fewer birds means fewer eggs — and higher prices. 'Bird flu is the main reason of increasing export capacity,' said Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. A carton of a dozen large Grade A eggs hit an average of $4.95 last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Costco and Trader Joe's are limiting egg purchases per customer and Waffle House is charging a 50-cent surcharge per egg. It will take months to replace lost flocks, and the US Department of Agriculture is forecasting an additional 20% increase in egg prices this year. The price of eggs rose 15.2% in January and are up 53% year over year, according to January's Consumer Price Index. US businesses have taken it upon themselves to look for supply beyond our borders. And Turkey is the only country the United States imports eggs from, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Still, experts warn the increased egg imports won't make much of a dent in America's egg shortage. 'While this is enough to offset some productions losses, it won't provide much support if HPAI (avian flu) continues at its current pace,' said Bernt Nelson, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. The US produces more than 7.5 billion eggs per year on average, according to the American Egg Board. That number will fall this year as the avian flu continues to claim the lives of more birds. 'We support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the US egg supply as we navigate this challenging time of continued highly pathogenic avian influenza detections,' said Chad Gregory, president and CEO of United Egg Producers. 'Like everyone, we want to solutions to this situation.' One solution, at least for now, is importing more eggs. In 2024, the United States imported 71 million eggs from Turkey, according to the USDA. This year's imports will be nearly six times that based on the Egg Producers Central Union's estimates. By July, Turkey will deliver 240 million eggs to the United States, with the rest coming by the end of the year. Turkey is the fifth-largest egg exporter in the world behind the Netherlands, United States, Poland and Germany. In 2023, Turkey exported $411 million worth of eggs worldwide, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. Turkey's export volume to the United States this year will total $37 million, according to the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey. Doug Corwin, who had to cull his flock of 99,000 ducks on his farm in Long Island after the virus was detected, says it's time to start vaccinating birds against the virus. Last week the USDA issued a conditional license for an avian flu vaccine for chickens. Zoetis, the manufacturer behind the vaccine, said the 'license was granted on the demonstration of safety, purity, and reasonable expectation of efficacy based on serology data.' But vaccinations create a literal chicken and egg problem: Although many egg producers favor vaccinating chickens, poultry producers worry vaccinations would create trade problems. If a country starts vaccinating its birds, the virus could be seen as endemic, and it can be hard to detect the virus in inoculated birds. Countries could become less eager to buy poultry from the United States, which is the world's largest poultry producer and second-largest exporter of poultry meat, according to the USDA. Meanwhile, the White House says it is working on a plan to combat the avian flu. On Sunday, Kevin Hassett, the Director of the White House Economic Council, said on CBS' 'Face the Nation' that the plan involves biosecurity, medication and a perimeter. 'Having a smart perimeter is what we're working on, and we're finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government. And that's the kind of thing that should have happened a year ago, and if it had, then egg prices would be, you know, a lot better than they are now,' Hassett said on 'Face the Nation.' Experts in the agricultural community say more funding and staffing is needed in research and surveillance of the virus. This comes at a time when the Trump administration is doing the opposite. There have been thousands of reported layoffs at agencies including the CDC and USDA. 'If ever there was a time when it was absolutely critical to not infuse more chaos into the system, this is it,' said Rebecca Carriere Christofferson, an associate professor of pathobiological studies at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Earlier this week, the USDA had to revoke termination letters it sent to workers supporting the bird flu response. CNN's Isil Sariyuce and Maria Sole Campinoti contributed to this report.
MTV Lebanon
22-02-2025
- Business
- MTV Lebanon
Turkey is helping the US get through the crisis
Turkey has begun exporting some 15,000 tons of eggs to the United States as a devastating outbreak of bird flu has cut U.S. production and driven up prices, a Turkish official said. According to Reuters, the death of millions of laying hens threatens US President Donald Trump's pledge to cut everyday costs, as grocery stores ration supplies and restaurants raise the price of egg dishes. Shipments to the United States from Turkey began this month and will continue through July, said Ibrahim Afyon, president of the Central Association of Egg Producers in Turkey. 'The export will be done through our member companies with the required licenses, while two companies will coordinate the process,' he said. 'A total of 15,000 tons of eggs will be shipped, equivalent to 700 containers.' The United States is working to contain avian flu, which was first detected in dairy cows in Texas last March and has since spread to more than 970 flocks in 17 states.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US Takes Action To Alleviate Egg Shortage Issues
In a move aimed at stabilizing the American egg market, Turkey has begun sending over 15,000 metric tons of eggs to the U.S. The shipment, which began in February, will carry on until July, as the Egg Producers Central Union chairman Ibrahim Afyon told Reuters. This largescale shipment equates to 700 containers of eggs being sent. The shortage, largely caused by the ongoing avian flu outbreak, has prompted the U.S. to seek alternative sources of supply. Turkey was a natural fit, with it being one of the world's top 10 egg exporters. This agreement is expected to generate approximately $26 million in export revenue for Turkey. The bird flu was first documented within the U.S. in Texas in March 2024. Since then, it's spread to 17 different states. This influx of eggs from Turkey is expected to ease the rising cost of eggs, which has particularly impacted major retailers like Costco and Walmart, where prices have surged by as much as 60%, according to E-Noticies. However, the price relief is expected to take time, with consumers likely to feel the impact once inventory levels are adjusted within stores. Read more: 14 Egg Hacks We Wish We Knew Sooner Costs vary from state to state, of course, but a significant factor contributing to the increase in egg prices overall is the exponential loss of chickens across the U.S. The U.S. Consumer Price Index revealed that from January to February 2025, egg prices surged 15.24% (via Y Charts). However, the CDC reports that the bird flu outbreak poses little risk to public health, with only one death recorded. If you'd like to know more about how it could affect you, check out Mashed's explanation of what bird flu is and how it affects food. Turkey hasn't exported eggs to the U.S. since January 2023. Although Turkey should now offer some relief, the distance between the two countries further underscores the need for proper handling and well-maintained temperatures during this large shipment. Should the delivery go smoothly, it could potentially pave the way for a sustained egg-trade relationship between Turkey and the U.S. Read the original article on Mashed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Many Eggs Is Turkey Sending To The US?
With egg carton rationing on the rise at major grocery stores like Trader Joe's, it's become evident to the rest of the world that the U.S. is in need of eggs. The country of Turkey just stepped in to save the day, at least until July. The U.S. and Turkey have reached a deal in which Turkey will send 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S.. The chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey told Reuters that the shipments have already begun and will continue through July. "The export will take place through our member companies with the required authorizations, while two firms will coordinate the process," said the chairman, Ibrahim Afyon. In exchange for the egg shipments, Turkey is expected to receive $26 million in exports revenue. The country's need for eggs has been ongoing for years now and has led to intermittent shortages and rising prices ever since. Here's why this multi-million dollar import is so necessary. Read more: 6 Fast Food Chains That Use Real Whole Eggs And 7 That Don't Much like how a vaccine took time to develop as the world dealt with the impacts of COVID, the same can be said for our egg situation. In 2022, the Avian Flu ravaged flocks of egg-laying hens in the U.S. and has continued to do so. Since the beginning of this bird flu outbreak over 150 million hens have been affected. Experts began working on vaccines for the affected poultry back in 2022 and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in January that it was working to rebuild a stockpile of vaccines. However, Reuters notes that while a conditional license was granted to the animal health company Zoetis for a vaccine, the USDA has not authorized the use of any vaccine yet. Until recently, egg farms have resorted to culling the entire flock as soon as the bird flu is detected. The Trump administration has recently changed its guidelines on this, intending to promote vaccinations and tighter biosecurity instead of outright slaughter. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
