If you have noticed the shocking rise of egg and chicken prices lately, the problem is not merely inflation: Bird flu is back.
Since start of the outbreak in February 2022, about 27 million farmed birds have been killed to stop the spread, according to CNET. This leads to a shortage of eggs, which drives up egg prices. According to the USDA, the price of a dozen eggs was about $1 in November 2021. The price in April was about $3.
The outbreak has affected prices much more dramatically than the last outbreak in 2015. The lack of bird and egg supply plus an inflation rate of 8.5 percent have contributed to widespread price increases for every commodity that uses egg or chicken. That would be baked goods, processed foods and things like salad dressing.
For wild birds, the toll has also been high, with at least 36 bald eagles dying of the disease. There has also been a nationwide toll on hawks, geese, owls, herons and cormorants.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
