As of March 20, 2025, the United States grapples with a significant egg shortage, leading to soaring prices nationwide.
The crisis, primarily driven by a severe avian influenza outbreak, has resulted in the culling of millions of egg-laying hens, drastically reducing egg supplies.
Egg Price Now and Consumer Impact
The average price for a dozen Grade A large eggs has surged unprecedentedly.
Trading Economics, says prices have reached $8.16 per dozen as of March 2025, a stark increase from previous months.
This escalation has strained household budgets, leading consumers to seek alternatives or reduce egg consumption.
Impact on the Food Industry
The food service sector has been notably affected, according to Food & Wine.
Restaurants and bakeries, heavily reliant on eggs, face increased operational costs.
Establishments like Zingerman’s Bakehouse have chosen to maintain traditional recipes without substitutes, absorbing higher costs.
Conversely, chains such as Waffle House and Denny’s have implemented surcharges on egg dishes, though this strategy has led to a decline in customer visits.
Government and Industry Responses
In response to the crisis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a $1 billion initiative to stabilize the egg supply and curb escalating prices.
This plan includes:
- Increased egg imports
- Enhanced biosecurity measures
- Financial relief for affected farmers
- Potential vaccination programs to combat avian influenza.
USA Now Asking for Help
To mitigate the shortage, the United States has sought assistance from European countries, requesting increased egg exports to the U.S. market.
This international collaboration aims to alleviate supply constraints and relieve consumers facing high prices.
The United States has sought to bolster its domestic supply by importing eggs from European countries, including Denmark.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) contacted these nations to inquire about the volume of eggs they could export to the U.S. market.
However, these efforts have encountered significant challenges.
European countries are also grappling with egg shortages due to increasing consumption and the impact of bird flu.
For instance, Denmark’s egg association indicated that Europe faces similar supply constraints, limiting its capacity to export substantial quantities to the United States.
Turkey has agreed to export approximately 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. from February to July 2025.
While these imports provide some relief, they cannot completely resolve the shortage.
Finland has declined to help since there were no export negotiations in place in the first place.
Finnish Poultry Association executive director Veera Lehtilä also stated that Finland has over four million laying hens. Still, even their eggs are not enough to solve the egg shortage issue in the US.
“Bird flu is not only an American issue but a serious global problem that every country faces. And you need continuous effort to manage and prevent it.” Lehtilä added.
Egg Shortage Continues: What Now?
While these measures are steps toward resolving the shortage, experts caution that recovery may take time.
The combined efforts of government initiatives and international support are crucial to restoring stability to the egg market.
However, consumers and businesses should prepare for continued egg availability and pricing fluctuations in the near term.
Even though prices have fallen significantly, they are still expected to increase.
USDA even predicted that egg prices could increase more than 40 percent in 2025.
