According to experts, egg prices are reportedly about to increase due to several factors, as prices are already 40% higher than last year.
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According to KTLA, Patrick Penfield, a supply chain expert and professor at Syracuse University’s School of Management, predicts that egg prices could rise by another 20% in 2025 due to the ongoing bird flu epidemic. He explains that there is currently no effective vaccine or treatment for the disease, which affects egg-laying hen populations. Over 100 million hens have been culled to prevent the spread of the virus. When a single case of avian flu is detected on a farm, the entire flock must be culled as a precautionary measure. It takes at least five months to replace those hens and resume egg production.
The current national price of eggs is $4.15; however, in several states, such as California, prices can reach as high as $9 due to strict regulations requiring cage-free eggs. While cage-free eggs meet animal welfare standards, they also pose a greater risk of flu transmission among chickens. Additionally, states like Nevada, Washington, and Oregon mandate that eggs be sold as cage-free, which affects major retailers such as Trader Joe’s.
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Egg prices last peaked in January 2023, hitting $4.82 per dozen nationwide. Penfield warns we could surpass that record as early as mid-February 2025. Farmers are hoping their hens could build an immunity but there is no data to support if this will be a possibility.
“Also, if they do, we do not know if this immunity would protect hens if the bird flu virus mutated. The only recourse you have as an egg farmer is to employ biosecurity practices such as eliminating exposure to wild birds, limiting human interactions, covering enclosures, reducing large puddles and standing water.”
