My personal findings:
On 02/16/2025, at Costco, San Dimas CA, I paid $7.69 for a carton of 24 large eggs versus $5.99 for the same on12/13/2024 - a 28% price increase. Customers were limited up to a max of 3 egg packages. I arrived at the store opening, and yes shoppers rushed to get their eggs.
Roughly during the same period, at Costco I paid paid $3.999 per gallon of regular gas on 2/9/2025 versus $3.679 per gallon on 1/7/2025 - a 9% price increase.
Egg prices jumped substantially higher due to a drastic decrease in supply with the killing of millions of egg-laying hens infected by the bird flu.
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Source: Google AI Overview
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has reported that bird flu has caused the loss of millions of egg-laying hens in California. The CDFA has also implemented disease control measures, including vaccinations and increased biosecurity.
Explanation:
• The CDFA has reported that two-thirds of egg-laying hens in California have been lost to bird flu.
• The CDFA has implemented disease control measures, including vaccinations and increased biosecurity.
• The CDFA has also cleaned and disinfected infected facilities and equipment.
• The CDFA has distributed protective gear to dairy farms and workers.
• The CDFA has worked with local, state, and federal partners to monitor bird flu in farm animals and people who work with poultry and dairy cows.
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Source:
Jan 18, 2025
Bird Flu A Big Factor In CA Egg Shortages
Two-thirds of egg-laying hens in California have been lost in the recent outbreak, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) said.
CDFA spokesperson Steve Lyle said the following:
• The egg shortages are related to bird flu, but also a seasonal increase in demand. Over the holidays, demand went up at grocery stores as more home meals were cooked, at a time of year when production is flat or even low.
• Most eggs consumed in California are imported from other states, but about 40 percent are produced here.
• Two-thirds of egg-laying hens in California have been lost in the recent outbreak. That means about 10 million out of 14 million hens have been lost since August.
• He anticipates supplies will remain tight for at least the next several weeks.
Jennifer Shelton, spokesperson for the Save Mart Companies, which own Lucky and Food Maxx groceries, commented: “At this time, we have no estimation as to when we might see an improvement in supply. The stores will continue to ask customers to limit the number of eggs to two cartons per purchase.”
[My comment here: with regard to restoring the supply chain, depending on the breed, chicken hens typically start laying eggs when they are 18 to 22 weeks old.]
Most informative and alarming for me, Maurice Pitesky with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (IMO: one of the best in the U.S.) commented: “This outbreak of bird flu is unprecedented. It’s the worst one in California, in the country, in the world and in history. You look at the last 7,000 or 10,000 years of human history, since the beginning of the agricultural revolution, I can’t think of any way you can measure it where this would not be number one. Geographically, it’s hit six or seven continents. It’s segmented. It’s got this amazing capacity to mutate and shift and reabsorb. We’re finding it in the environment, in human wastewater, dairy lagoons, etc. It’s in dairy, it’s in poultry. It’s shown the ability to infect pigs. The significance of that from a food security perspective — three of the main animal proteins that humans consume on the planet — is pretty significant. There have been some people that have been sickened that we can’t find a connection to poultry or dairy, so that’s concerning."
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ON 12/18/2024, California Governor Newsom made a Proclamation of a State of Emergency regarding the Bird Flu that provided an excellent historical chronology of events concerning the spread of the bird flu in whereas statements such as the following:
PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
WHEREAS Avian influenza A (H5Nl), commonly known as “Bird Flu,” is
widespread in wild birds worldwide, including the United States; and
WHEREAS Bird Flu was first detected in the United States in the wild bird population in South Carolina in January 2022, in the domestic poultry population in Indiana in February 2022, and in the wild bird population in California in July 2022; and
WHEREAS Bird Flu primarily infects birds, but can also infect mammals, including humans; and
WHEREAS on March 25, 2024, an outbreak of Bird Flu infection in dairy cows was first reported in other states; and
WHEREAS since March 25, 2024, there have been 61 total reported confirmed cases of Bird Flu infection in humans across eight states, including 34 reported cases in California, with no documented instances of human-to human transmission to date; and
WHEREAS on August 30, 2024, Bird Flu infection was confirmed in a dairy cow in Central California, with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) activating its Medical Health Coordination Center the same day to respond to the emergent situation; and
WHEREAS California has led the nation in milk production since 1993, accounting for 18.2% of the United States’ milk production in 2022, across more than 1100 dairies statewide; and
WHEREAS between August 30, 2024, and early December 2024, 641 dairies have confirmed positive tests for Bird Flu across nine California counties limited to Central California; and
WHEREAS in response to the introduction of Bird Flu into California dairy cattle in August 2024, the State of California has mobilized a comprehensive on scene response to Bird Flu in dairy cattle and poultry farms across the state to minimize farm worker exposures, reduce raw dairy product contamination, and contain the virus; and
WHEREAS the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is running a comprehensive testing and quarantine program statewide, with 985 dairies currently under surveillance testing statewide and 614 dairies under quarantine.
(Snip)
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes, including the California Emergency Services Act, and in particular, Government Code section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY to exist statewide due to Bird Flu.
For those interested, here are two highly informative websites that provide subsequent actions by CDFA regarding the following:
Avian Influenza Updates
H5N1 Bird Flu Virus in Livestock.
Today, my wife and I had breakfast at our favorite non-chain restaurant that had not raised their menu prices for a long time, but informed us that they waiting for delivery of their new menus with increased prices.
Regards,
Ray