Feb 10, 2025
For nearly four years, avian influenza has ravaged poultry farms across the U.S., forcing farmers to cull entire flocks and sending egg prices soaring.
In Union County, North Carolina, Alex Simpson, president of Simpson’s Eggs, has watched the crisis unfold with growing concern.
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“We just can’t get ahead of it no matter what we do,” he told CBS affiliate WBTV. "We pray about it every day. It's a big fear."
So far, Simpson has avoided an outbreak at his farm, home to 1.6 million hens producing around 1.2 million eggs daily, but not without radical interventions. He and his fellow poultry farmers are on the front line of a costly disease.
Egg prices surge as consumers face purchase limits
Under USDA regulations, if even one bird tests positive for the virus, the entire flock must be slaughtered to prevent further spread. According to Simpson, that policy has led to the loss of nearly 20 million birds nationwide since Jan. 1.
The result? Higher prices and empty store shelves. With millions of hens wiped out, egg prices have jumped 50% in the last year, and experts predict further increases.
In December 2024, a dozen eggs averaged $4.15 — up from $3.45 the previous year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Many grocery stores now limit customers to one or two cartons per visit. Frustrated shoppers have taken to social media to vent their outrage, questioning why such drastic shortages persist nearly four years into the crisis.
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“It’s very difficult to keep store shelves full right now,” Simpson admitted.
Restaurants are feeling the pinch. Waffle House recently announced the company's 2,000+ stores will charge an additional .50 per egg due to the shortage.
"The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (Bird Flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices,” the company's statement reads. “Consumers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions. Effective February 3, Waffle House has implemented a temporary .50 per egg surcharge to all menus."
The political stakes are also rising.
With inflation already a hot-button issue, soaring food prices could become a major liability for President Donald Trump. Critics argue that his administration has not done enough to stabilize supply chains and accused him of backtracking on campaign promises.
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Meanwhile, his administration has also ordered federal health agencies — including the FDA, CDC and National Institutes of Health — to indefinitely pause communications with the public. That could make it harder for consumers to understand the risks and the spread of bird flu.
It’s not just eggs at stake. The CDC reports that bird flu doesn’t infect humans, but can other animals in the food supply chain, including turkeys and dairy cows.
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Farmers fight back, but it might not be enough
For farmers like Simpson, keeping their flocks safe means radically changing how they operate. He used to love inviting people to his farm, including news crews and schoolchildren. But now he says the farm is limited to essential personnel only, in line with USDA recommendations. Other biosecurity measures include:
- Washing vehicles inside and out before entering farm property.
- Sanitizing workers’ clothing.
- Taking mandatory foot baths before stepping inside chicken houses.
- Testing birds regularly, particularly when the chickens indicate symptoms or are moved from one farm to another.
While farmers are doing their part, Simpson says solving the crisis requires more than just individual farm efforts.
"It’s going to take a joint effort from all of animal agriculture, from USDA, from our administration, from Congress, to really just pour resources into this,” he said. “We can’t just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Simpson — whose family has been producing eggs in the region for 100 years — went to Washington, D.C. to lobby congressional members and the USDA for additional funding and research to address the crisis across the country.
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Danielle is a personal finance writer based in Ohio. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Motley Fool and Business Insider. She believes financial literacy key to helping people build a life they love.
