Overview

• Egg prices in the U.S. have surged dramatically, with some areas reporting costs as high as $10 per dozen, driven by bird flu outbreaks and other factors.
• Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins proposed raising backyard chickens as a potential solution, a suggestion met with widespread criticism due to practicality and cost concerns.
• The Trump administration announced a $1 billion plan to address the crisis, including investments in biosecurity, farmer relief, and vaccine research, but experts caution results may take time.
• Corporate consolidation and alleged price manipulation by major egg producers, like Cal-Maine, have come under scrutiny, with calls for federal investigations into potential antitrust violations.
• State-level cage-free laws and regulatory challenges are also cited as contributing to higher production costs and supply constraints, further exacerbating the crisis.