Egg Price Hike 3: Remarkable Resilience in the Egg Industry

In this third installment of our five-part series, we highlight the remarkable resilience of the egg industry, despite the challenges it has faced. According to market intel shared by the American Farm Bureau and data from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the average inventory of U.S. egg-laying hens in 2024 was 375 million—down 14 million, or 3.5%, from the pre-2022 levels before the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

Despite losing, on average, 11% of the laying flock every year due to HPAI, the industry has worked tirelessly to maintain a stable supply. Remarkably, the annual average layer flock size has remained only 3.5% smaller than pre-outbreak levels.

This resilience has been vital in ensuring that eggs continue to be a relatively affordable and healthy protein source for American families, especially during times of price volatility and supply chain disruptions.

For more, visit https://www.fb.org/market-intel/egg-prices-continue-setting-records