Egg prices are once again soaring, and the pain at the grocery store doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that prices have jumped 8.5% month-over-month, leaving families and businesses scrambling to manage their budgets.
In places like California, the situation is particularly dire. A dozen eggs now costs nearly $9—a staggering 70% increase compared to last year. Nationwide, prices are up nearly 11% from 2023, a painful reminder of the ongoing economic pressures facing American households.
While industry experts blame seasonal demand and the lingering effects of the avian flu outbreak, the underlying issues point to deeper structural failures. The avian flu has indeed decimated poultry farms, with over 133 million birds culled since the outbreak began. But rebuilding flocks is a slow process, compounded by rising feed costs and new government regulations mandating cage-free egg production.
Emily Monroe, a senior analyst at AgriMarket Insights, calls it a “perfect storm” of factors, but let’s be honest—this storm has been brewing for years. Regulatory overreach, such as California’s push for cage-free eggs, has driven up costs for producers, ultimately passing the burden onto consumers.
David Anderson, an agricultural economist at Texas A&M University, explains that rebuilding flocks takes time, especially when the next generation of chickens is wiped out by disease. “It’s a compounding issue that makes it harder to rebuild total flocks,” Anderson said.
While families struggle to make ends meet, major egg producers like Cal-Maine Foods are thriving. The nation’s largest egg supplier has reported record profits, with its stock climbing over 30% in the past year. Higher prices and strong demand have created a windfall for producers, even as small businesses and households bear the brunt of the cost.
Local restaurant owners, already reeling from inflation and rising labor costs, are being forced to make tough decisions. Many are raising menu prices, cutting portions, or even considering shutting their doors.
Meanwhile, global demand for American eggs continues to rise, further straining supply. Export markets, fueled by avian flu outbreaks in other regions, are siphoning off eggs that could otherwise help ease domestic shortages.
This crisis is yet another example of how reckless policies and economic mismanagement hit regular Americans the hardest. The Biden administration’s failure to address inflation, coupled with excessive regulatory burdens, has created a cost-of-living crisis that stretches from the grocery aisle to the gas pump.
As egg prices soar, families are left wondering when relief will come. Experts predict prices won’t stabilize until the second half of 2025 at the earliest, leaving hardworking Americans to foot the bill for yet another crisis fueled by government ineptitude.
It’s time for leaders to put the priorities of American families first—cutting red tape, promoting energy independence to lower feed and transportation costs, and creating a regulatory environment that helps, not hinders, American farmers. Until then, the price of eggs will remain a symbol of a broken system.
