Today, Farm Action released the following statement and informational memo in reaction to USDA’s latest Egg Markets Overview report and the recent decline in egg prices.
The following statement can be attributed to Angela Huffman, Farm Action’s President:
“Avian flu should not have created the spike in egg prices that the entire country has been grappling with. It is also suspicious that shortly after our calls for a government investigation were heard, egg prices are now dramatically declining. Meanwhile, USDA’s latest data contradicts the department’s plan to continue bailing out the largest egg firms. Instead, shifting away from crowded, caged production models would lessen the impacts of avian flu outbreaks.”
The data
USDA’s latest egg report confirms that prices are dropping in most markets. On the fourth page of that report, data also shows that of the over 30 million birds lost so far in 2025, conventional caged layer flocks were disproportionately affected—with 12.3% of the conventional caged layer flock lost, 7.8% of the non-organic cage-free flock, and 0.1% of the organic flock—indicating that production systems matter.
Why this matters
Historically, the USDA has responded to avian flu by providing dominant egg firms with large payments to offset losses. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said that egg prices have dropped within a week and a half of announcing her plan. Yet, her plan differs little from what the prior administration did to address avian flu. The Biden administration paid $1.4 billion to the egg industry to offset losses, while the Trump administration has pledged another $1 billion. This financial relief is geared primarily to the largest egg firms that typically implement crowded, caged production systems that are most vulnerable to outbreaks.
These production systems create optimal circumstances for large-scale disease outbreaks because crowded indoor facilities allow infectious pathogens to spread more quickly. It is also worth noting that two days after meeting with Cal-Maine, the largest egg company in the country, Sec. Rollins announced her plan to continue bailing out impacted producers like Cal-Maine who have generated excessive profits during this time.
An egg farmer under contract with Cal-Maine substantiates USDA’s data, confirming to Farm Action that small contract operations (which only account for about 10% of Cal-Maine’s production) are far less vulnerable to avian flu outbreaks, in spite of only being paid 26 cents per dozen by the company.
Rollins and others are also attempting to target state laws that put cage-free egg production requirements in place, blaming that legislation for egg price hikes. However, evidence shows that prices in cage-free states like Michigan are in line with the national average price.
USDA’s data illustrates that a different way forward is possible, but it will take unraveling the industry’s control over the market to get there. If we want to prevent future widespread outbreaks coupled with opportunistic price hikes by corporations, we should be prioritizing family farmers who provide an alternative to corporatized production systems.
Media Contact: Emma Nicolas, enicolas@farmaction.us, 202-450-0094
