April 4, 2025
By Cal Gonzalez
Staff Writer
An Avian flu outbreak that began in March 2024 has reduced the number of egg-laying chickens, causing egg prices in the United States to rise steeply and leaving consumers and businesses scrambling to adjust.
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, wholesale prices reached $8.17 per dozen on March 3, compared to about $2 in previous years.
In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been reaching out to various countries, requesting increased egg exports to help stabilize the market. Some countries, such as Finland and Poland, declined. However, Türkiye agreed to ship 15,000 tons of eggs beginning in January, according to Newsweek.
As of March 14, wholesale egg prices had dropped to $4.83 per dozen, a 44% decline due to reduced bird flu cases and weak consumer demand, according to Expana, which tracks data on agricultural commodity prices. This has helped the nation’s egg supply slowly recover. Still, there is around a two to three-week delay between wholesale and retail price changes, so consumers are still feeling the financial strain, according to CNBC.
Sophomore Isabella Fata, who enjoys baking, said egg costs led her family to alter their Christmas tradition of baking 300 cookies, reducing the quantity to 100.
Fata said the egg shortage continues to influence her lifestyle.
“I can’t bake that much anymore, so I need to find something else to do at night,” Fata said.
She said posts on social media are intensifying people’s concerns.
“People posting empty shelves will tell people they need to stock up and get their eggs right away,” Fata
said.
Spanish teacher Ms. Veiga said the shortage has not affected her, but she has noticed a rise in egg prices.
“I did have a conversation with my mom about flan and Spanish tortillas and how they have become more expensive dishes to prepare due to the shortage,” Veiga said.
She said the egg shortage is causing people to pay more attention to how food reaches the public.
“It will make people understand that there is a food chain and any disruptions result in a problem,” Veiga said. “The problem is often monetary and for the consumer.”
Veiga said she understands why grocery stores are limiting the number of egg cartons customers can purchase.
“The cake pops are so popular. People know what to expect in terms of flavor and quality, so I wouldn’t use a substitution.”
“It is fair since local restaurants and small businesses might take advantage of a grocery store with no limitations and leave very few options for households,” Veiga said.
English teacher and Class of 2027 advisor Ms. Coppola, who sells cake pops for $1 each to raise money for her class and to help support the Future Business Leaders of America Club, said the cost of eggs is hindering the fundraiser’s success.
“I am not raising the prices of them, but I will see a drop in my profit,” Coppola said.
She said that although applesauce and coconut oil can be used as egg substitutes, she has not baked with these products.
“The cake pops are so popular. People know what to expect in terms of flavor and quality, so I wouldn’t use a substitution,” Coppola said.
She said preventive measures are critical when addressing a potential bird flu outbreak.
“Part of the reason it impacted [the chickens] so much was their conditions. They live in such cramped spaces that made the bird flu easy to overtake an entire flock,” Coppola said. “Moving forward, if [farmers] could come up with better practices, then animals wouldn’t be so at risk.”
