Egg Prices Surge to Records as Bird Flu Decimates Poultry Flocks

WSJ ^ | 22 December 2022 | Jaewon Kang and Patrick Thomas

[NautiNurse]

Egg prices are hitting records, driven by an avian-influenza outbreak that has killed tens of millions of chickens and turkeys this year across nearly all 50 states.

Wholesale prices of Midwest large eggs hit a record $5.36 a dozen in December, according to the research firm Urner Barry. Retail egg prices have increased more than any other supermarket item so far this year, climbing more than 30% from January to early December compared with the same period a year earlier, and outpacing overall food and beverage prices, according to the data firm Information Resources Inc.

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Some suppliers are projecting potential relief in price by February or March, but cold weather could hamper production in the near term, executives said.

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Angelo Caputo’s bought extra-large eggs for $5.09 a dozen recently, up from $1.30 at the start of the year, Mr. O’Neill said.

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Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have so far this year led to the deaths of about 58 million birds, the deadliest outbreak in U.S. history, according to Agriculture Department data. Entire poultry flocks are destroyed after an infection is confirmed, to help limit the outbreak’s spread.

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The current outbreak has largely been attributed to wild birds spreading the virus to farms as they migrate across the country, agriculture-industry officials have said. While the 2015 outbreak ended in June, cases this year continued to pop up throughout the fall.

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[SaxxonWoods]

We get them local too. Living around farmers is a great thing. Fresher produce, even at City Market and Safeway, plus direct eggs, etc.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"Calling Dr. Fowlchi (see what I did there?)"

Brilliant!!! bravo!!!

[minnesota_bound]

What they call Large are Medium.

[minnesota_bound]

#58 Christmas “deviled” eggs? : )

[NautiNurse]

Yep. Christmas deviled eggs. Extra paprika.