US Egg Prices Ease

US egg prices slipped back below $1.16 per dozen after rebounding from multi-year lows, remaining more than 80% below mid 2025 peaks and returning to pre bird flu levels. The decline reflects a rapid normalization of supply after the HPAI driven contraction, alongside rising inventories and softer demand following the holiday surge. Producers rebuilt layer flocks aggressively after last year’s losses, lifting output and pushing inventories toward annual highs, with USDA data showing production ending 2025 above the prior year. At the same time, post holiday consumption cooled and retail feature activity faded. While isolated bird flu cases and logistical frictions resurfaced earlier in the year, they were far smaller than prior shocks and failed to derail the broader supply recovery, particularly as imports helped offset localized gaps. Consistent with these dynamics, the USDA now expects lower egg prices into 2026 as supply growth continues to outpace demand.

US egg prices jumped back above $1.20 per dozen from a multi year low near $0.33 on January 13 as a rapid tightening in physical supply met a short lived demand shock. On the supply side, renewed outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza triggered fresh culling of laying hens across several major US producing states, cutting flock sizes and reducing wholesale availability just as inventories were starting to rebuild. That domestic shortfall was compounded by new bird flu cases in Europe, especially in the Netherlands’ most egg intensive region, which disrupted export flows and pushed foreign buyers into the spot market, tightening global availability. Elevated feed costs, led by corn and soybean meal, have also lifted marginal production costs, slowing the pace of output recovery. On the demand side, a severe Arctic cold snap in mid January boosted near term retail buying through increased home cooking, baking, and precautionary restocking, amplifying the price response.

US egg prices rose above $0.65 per dozen, rebounding from their lowest levels since 2019 of $0.33 seen January 13th as near term supply and demand conditions tightened. Renewed avian influenza outbreaks forced the culling of millions of laying hens, shrinking flock sizes and reducing wholesale availability, which quickly reversed the prior downtrend in negotiated prices. At the same time, a fresh wave of bird flu in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands’ most egg intensive production region, disrupted cross border flows and pushed international buyers into the open market, reinforcing global supply tightness. Higher and more volatile feed costs have further lifted marginal production expenses, limiting producers’ ability to restore output quickly. On the demand side, an intense Arctic cold snap boosted short term retail consumption through home cooking, baking, and precautionary restocking ahead of winter storms, turning relatively small supply shortfalls into a sharp rebound.