Bombing for eggs
If you do not see many Easter eggs this weekend, it could be due to rationing and high prices.
Today we look at the eggs and the climb of the avian flu that started in 2023.
According to the US Bureau of Labor, in March, the consumer price index for eggs increased by 5.9%, up 60.4% compared to a year ago, with an average price of $ 6.23 per dozen, up $ 0.33 per dozen compared to last month.
Iowa constantly produces the most eggs from all American states. In 2019, chickens on its farms produced just over 17 billion eggs, according to the American department of agriculture. But state herds, like those elsewhere in the United States, were devastated by avian flu, leading to higher egg prices and a few shortages.
The best states with the highest prices by dozen and how much it has increased in the past year:
Hawaii, $ 9.73, 51% of Florida, $ 6.36, 57% in Alabama, $ 6.12, 74% in Nevada, $ 6.07, 59% of California, $ 6.05, 31% Arizona, $ 6.03, 71% Georgia, $ 5.96, 59% Maine, 5.84 Wyoming, $ 5.84, 60% Colorado, $ 5.84. Carolina, $ 5.76, 75% of Vermont, $ 5.70, 44%
Here are several reasons why:
Avian flu
According to centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is believed that more than 168 million birds were assigned between January 2022 and April 16.
The cost of fighting avian flu
Chicken producers spend more money to protect their herds, adding to the higher cost of egg prices.
Inflation and supply chain
Fuel, packaging and labor costs have all increased considerably in recent years. The price of corn reached its highest price in nine years in 2022. Wheat prices have also increased due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a world producer of wheat.
Cage trend
The push for chickens without cage has existed for decades, but it has taken a lot of momentum in California.
The ban on California in 2018 entered into force in 2022. Only cage -free chicken eggs can be sold in California, it doesn’t matter where they are produced.
The five largest states producing shell eggs house approximately 45.4% of all laying hens in the United States, and the best states represent 66.2% of egg production.
California was in the top 10 in 2022 but abandoned.
Here are the first 10 states with the most laying hens in 2024:
1. Iowa2. Ohio3. Indiana4. Pennsylvania5. Texas6. Georgie7. Caroline du Nord8. Arkansas9. Mississippi10. Michigan
According to the United Egg producers, egg production totaled 93.1 billion in 2024, down 1% compared to 2023.
The United States had 311 million commercial hens at the end of 2024, down 3% compared to 2023.
On average, each hen produced 301 eggs per year in 2024, against 264 eggs per year in 2000.
They say that the increased productivity of hens is due to an improvement in health and prevention of diseases, nutrition, genetics and herd management.
American egg
The egg consumption per capita was nearly 295 eggs per year in 2019. It has decreased slightly since and was 273 in 2024.
Consumption per capita is a measure of total egg production, less exports, divided by the total American population. It does not represent demand.
To prevent
Almost all counties and municipalities in California have different regulations for backyard chickens concerning the number, the size of their cooperative and the elimination of manure.
Good sources of information are local animal control agencies and backyardchickens.com.
Eggs are in many products
According to the USDA, out of the 93.1 billion eggs consumed in 2022, 29.7% were in the form of egg products (eggs removed from their shells).
Liquid, frozen and dried products are widely used by the food service industry and as ingredients in other foods, such as prepared mayonnaise and ice cream.
What are egg products?
The term “egg products” refers to the eggs that are removed from their shells for treatment in installations called “brissets”. The transformation of egg products includes breaking eggs, filtering, mixing, stabilization, mixing, pasteurization, cooling, frost or drying and packaging. This is done in the inspected plants of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The basic products of eggs include whole eggs, whites, yolks and various mixtures – with or without ingredients not at the origin – which are transformed and treated to reduce or eliminate foods of food causing bacteria. The most common lethal treatment used to reduce or destroy bacteria in egg products is pasteurization. Other treatments inspected by the food and inspection security service (FSIS) include heat treatment and high pressure transformation.
Q & r of the bird influenza
H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds in the world and causes epidemics in dairy and American cows with several recent human cases in American dairy and poultry workers.
The current risk of public health is low.
Can I get avian flu to eat poultry or eggs? No, but you should always use appropriate food safety practices.
How many human cases in the United States? 70 to date.
Source of exposure of cases41 Dairy herds (cattle) 24 farms and slaughter2 other animal exhibition3 source of unknown exhibition
How many deaths? 1
Can he disseminate a person to the person? There is no known distribution from person to person at the moment.
What are the symptoms of the bird flu?
The bird flu can ensure that birds have respiratory symptoms such as a flowing nose and cough or sneezing, diarrhea, less energy, production of reduced eggs or sometimes sudden death.
In humans, the bird flu can cause diseases similar to flu (flu) with fever, cough, sore throat, flowing nose and muscle pain. Less often, humans can have diarrhea and vomiting and, more rarely, convulsions.
How is the bird flu generally?
Most infections occur when humans have contact with sick or dead animals without carrying personal protective equipment.
How can cows get the bird flu?Many species of different birds can be infected with the bird flu, and the infectious virus is lost in their saliva, their mucus and their excrement. The hangar infectious virus can then infect other animals, including cows.
How can people protect themselves to prevent bird flu?
Avoid unprotected exposure to sick or dead animals. This includes birds, poultry or other animals. For those working with animals, complete personal protective equipment should be used when in close or direct contact with animals or materials that are potentially contaminated by the virus. This includes an N95 mask or an equivalent, glasses, gloves, a dress, a head cover and start -up cover.
You can find out more about the bird flu on this UC Davis site.
Sources: Usda, backyardchickens.com, American Egg Board, Humane Society, The Associated Press, United Egg Producers, Business Insider, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UC Davis Health
California Daily Newspapers
