A Holiday Egg Shortage Is Upon Us As Bird Flu Cases Continue To Rise
In a holiday season marked with endless egg-based recipes, consumers may struggle to find all the eggs they need. Reports abound of shoppers in popular stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods facing nearly empty refrigerators where eggs should be, and it appears as if the problem isn't going to be solved in time for the biggest baking season of the year.
The reason? Ongoing bird flu outbreaks across three states (Utah, Washington state, and Oregon) have impacted the hens laying eggs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has lowered its estimated egg production from now through the start of next year. Though exact numbers haven't been stated, the agency noted "Table egg production projections are adjusted down in 2024 and 2025 on a slow-growing layer flock and additional losses due to avian influenza." Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control reported that since 2022, 108 million poultry have been affected by the bird flu.
More details on bird flu and a potential holiday egg shortage
Bird flu has been a major factor in egg prices for the last several years. A highly pathogenic (meaning it's more deadly, not more easily spread) outbreak began in February, 2022, and during that holiday season egg prices reached a record high of $4.82 for a dozen large eggs. And in 2023, the U.S. was even considering mass vaccinations for bird flu among poultry flocks.
The current outbreak has affected nearly 3 million poultry, and while we're already seeing these effects play out in terms of cost and availability, nobody is hitting the panic button just yet, so you should still be able to bake up all the best holiday cookie recipes. According to Emily Metz, the chief executive of the American Egg Board (via the Washington Post), "prices won't hit such records this fall, [but] consumers can expect a slight tightening of egg supply through the holiday season." Thankfully, there's no need to fear for your own health; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring the outbreak and say the public health risk is low.