Why Have Egg Prices Recently Skyrocketed?
If you’re an egg lover, you have probably been feeling sticker shock as of late.
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If you’re an egg lover, you have probably been feeling sticker shock as of late. Prices of eggs and liquid egg products in the United States have climbed to record highs due to the bird flu outbreak. Iowa lost nearly 25 million hens in the outbreak that lasted from mid-April to mid-June 2015 while nationally that total rose to 50 million as of August 2015. According to a study from Iowa State University’s Egg Industry Center, this outbreak is the worst since 1983 and has cost farmers nearly 12% of the national flock. While egg prices are expected to remain high into 2016, we suggest looking to farmers’ markets to purchase locally grown eggs. If you live near a college, university or high school with an agriculture department that has a regional egg-production program, you can find eggs through these locations as well.