About 14.7 million egg-laying hens have been affected as wholesale price of eggs climbs as much as 40 cents a week

Summary

US egg prices are rising due to a severe avian flu outbreak that has killed 14.7 million egg-laying hens since January, surpassing all of 2023’s losses.

Wholesale egg prices have surged, with shortages driving costs as high as $8.35 per dozen in California.

Restaurants and bakeries are struggling with higher costs, while grocery stores try to absorb some of the increase.

The issue has become politically charged as Trump and Republicans blame Biden.

  • @ReverendIrreverenceEnglish
    12•7 hours ago

    I am still annoyed at all the news using verbiage like “the avian flu outbreak that has killed 14.7 million…” when in fact the avian flu didn’t kill them. The corporate farmers did the killing usually using horribly inhumane methods (like “foaming” and “Ventilation Shutdown”)

    • @CaptainPedantic
      7•5 hours ago

      H5N1 has a 90% to 100% fatality rate in chickens according to the CDC. Either the chickens are killed by farmers before the virus spreads more, or the virus will kill the chickens.

    • @CharlesDarwinEnglish
      1•48 minutes ago

      Well, even w/o avian flu, its a real shitshow when it comes to inhumane things - like what is done with male chicks…