Bird Flu Emerges as Key Reason Behind U.S. Egg Shortage

The big Thanksgiving family breakfast may be in serious danger for some Americans this year. Grocery stores across the country are reportedly experiencing a shortage of eggs, and the reason appears to be tied to a scary issue affecting poultry.

While the egg supply appears to be stable in most of the country, some areas aren’t quite so lucky. NBC News highlighted the shortage over the weekend, citing reports of increased egg prices, rationing, and emptied shelves in parts of Denver, Miami, and New York. The single largest reason for the scarcity is bird flu, experts have said.

“Bird flu is by far the biggest impactor affecting egg prices right now,” Bernt Nelson, an agricultural economist, told NBC News. “In the last couple of months alone, we’ve seen about 10 million birds alone affected by the virus. And as we go on and the migration continues, we are always going to be watching to see what happens with avian influenza.”

Since 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza A strains of H5N1 have increasingly started to spread among wild birds and domestic poultry in the U.S. During this time period, H5N1 outbreaks of bird flu in poultry have been seen across 48 states. More recently this year, H5N1 has began to cause large outbreaks among dairy cattle. There have also been human cases of H5N1 tied to these animal outbreaks, though the virus is not spreading easily between people (for now, at least).

The country’s overall egg stockpile is fine, according to the American Egg Board. But these outbreaks have had a real impact. A USDA report this July found that the country’s total egg production had fallen 2.6% compared to last year, which also cited bird flu as a major contributor. And it’s likely that people in some pockets will continue to experience egg outages for the foreseeable future, while others will have to pay more for their precious breakfast staple.

“America’s egg farmers understand that eggs are essential to holiday entertaining and baking. We are aware some shoppers may be experiencing shortages of their favorite eggs at the grocery store, and we share their frustration,” Marc Dresner, communications director for the American Egg Board, told NBC Chicago Monday.

On the bright side, egg prices seem to be going down. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost for a dozen eggs in October was $3.37, a drop from $3.82 in September, and well off the high water mark of $4.82 per dozen seen in January 2023. It’s also possible that some people lacking eggs right now could see their fortunes change in time for the holidays.

“[W]e expect any shortages to be localized and short-lived, as egg farmers work to replenish those stocks,” Dresner said. “Because eggs are a perishable food, deliveries to grocery stores are frequent, and the egg case should be filled with eggs soon, as eggs generally arrive in stores within 72 hours of being on the farm.”