Des Moines, Iowa (Greymedia Iowa State Capitol Bureau) – Egg prices have skyrocketed for the past 18 months. There are a variety of factors that contribute to higher costs, but it can be thought to be larger than the virus that led to the deaths of tens of millions of chickens.
The highly pathogenic avian flu is highly contagious among chickens. Growers try to stop the spread by ulling the herd or the entire facility.
The USDA reports that “avian influenza, or “avian influenza,” is an infectious viral disease in domestic and wild birds. This is a major threat to the poultry industry, animal health, trade, and the economy around the world. ”
Combining available egg layers to help states that require more space for transporting chickens (California, Colorado, Michigan); cageless eggs (producing may also be expensive). Increased American preferences, increased wages, increased cost of feed, and other inflationary pressures on energy and transport can result in record highs for eggs approaching $5.00 per dozen.
Eggs were $2.04 per dozen in August 2023, according to St. Louis Federal Reserve Commission data.
Iowa is the country’s top egg-producing state. According to the Iowa Egg Council, producers raise 45 million chickens that lay 15 billion eggs a year.
Researchers are working on human vaccines. No cases have been reported that humans have spread highly pathogenic avian influenza to other humans. However, dozens of people have been infected with the virus.
About the Author: Midwest native Dave Price is the Iowa political director of Gray TV, a nine-station broadcast in the state and has covered Iowa’s local, state and national politics since 2001.
Dave produces and hosts Inside Iowa Politics, a weekly in-depth show focusing on interviews with top leaders on politics, problems, challenges and solutions that affect the nation.
He has written two books on the Iowa Caucus (“Caucus Chaos” and “Caucus Chaos”). Email him to dave.price@gray.tv. Follow him on X (Twitter): @idaveprice Meta/Facebook: DavepriceNews Instagram: Idaveprice and LinkedIn: Dave Price.
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