Bird Flu

Avian Flu, also known as the Bird Flu, is a strain of the influenza virus that primarily infects birds but can also infect humans. This virus has been a major cause of the rise of egg prices since 2021, and major egg corporations have had to drastically raise the price of eggs, increasing their profits as well. In 2023, the country's largest egg producer, Cal-Maine, gained 7 times the profit in fiscal revenue in 2023, when compared to 2021. In 2023, Cal-Maine issued shareholder dividends totaling $250 million in fiscal 2023, which was 40 times more than the previous fiscal year. The Mississippi-based company sold 7 percent more eggs in 2024 compared with 2021 and tripled its profits over the same period, according to company filings. According to a study by the University of Arkansas looking at the impact of the outbreak in 2022-23 the direct costs related to losing hen flocks account for a 12-24% increase in retail prices. The Avian Flu has clearly played a major role in egg prices and hopefully the cost of eggs will not increase anytime in the near future. (The Guardian)