Over the past year, egg prices have risen dramatically. A study done by Nerd Wallet revealed that “The latest consumer price index, or CPI, shows that the price of eggs is up 53% from where it was a year ago. That’s in contrast to the trajectory of food prices overall, which rose just 2.5% in the past year.” With many wondering what has caused the significant inflation, there are a variety of factors that have led to this point. The most pressing is the H5N1 outbreak, also known as bird flu, which began in January of 2022. According to the Center of Disease Control, “As of Feb. 26, the virus has affected about 166.1 million birds in the U.S. since January 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service adds that “it has affected about 129.7 million egg-laying hens.” No wonder then that egg prices are rising; with supply decreasing and demand still high, prices would be going up even without inflation.

As eggs are an affordable, nutritious ingredient in many people’s breakfasts, many have strong thoughts on the price hike. Cyrus Nasseri, an 11th-grade student at Corona del Mar High School, discussed how “it has been crazy to see egg prices rise this much. I remember just a couple of months ago that eggs were nearly half the price.” Unfortunately, the outbreaks have become nationwide; Nerdwallet notes that “reports of bird flu have spanned 10 states…and affected more than 52 million egg-laying hens. In just four months, producers have lost what amounts to roughly 17% of the total U.S. egg-layer population.” With prices continuing to rise as farmers struggle to handle the bird flu pandemic, the future of egg prices is unclear. Nasseri added that “With the expected increases in egg prices, one has to wonder if this will become the new normal. Food prices have been so much higher since the pandemic, and eggs seem like they will continue to be at the front of the pack.” On February 26th, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a new $1-billion plan proposed to halt bird flu and reduce the prices of eggs. However, it will take time for any new policy to make a dent in prices at the grocery store. As more information about bird flu improvements becomes available, the world will be watching closely to see what the future holds for egg prices.