Omaha, Nip-egg producers on the outbreak of bird influenza because they have done prices to record highlands, but critics believe that giant companies benefit from their dominance in the market to benefit greatly at the expense of budget-conscious egg buyers.
Democratic advocacy groups and a member of the Federal Trade Committee are calling for a government investigation after egg prices have increased by a record average of $ 4.95 per scales this month. The Trump administration has revealed this week’s plan to combat bird flu, but the amount of egg prices – a major inflation engine – still should be seen.
“Donald Trump’s promise to reduce food prices on” the first day “, but with the high prices of eggs from control, workers accused of containing influenza. Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a statement,” Working families need relief now. “
Industry, most experts, directly blame bird flu. More than 166 million birds were slaughtered to contain the virus. About 30 million egg layers have been eliminated since January, which has been significantly disrupting egg supply. The policy of the Ministry of Agriculture has long been the killing of entire herds at any time when the virus was located on the farm.
As a result, the number of egg layers worldwide decreased by about 12 % by the outbreak to 292 million birds, according to the estimates of the US Department of Agriculture on February 1, but 11 million other egg layers have been killed since then, so it is likely to be worse. When prices rose to $ 4.82 two years ago and paid the initial calls to make price investigations, the herd was above 300 million.
This has nothing to do with anything other than bird flu. “I think anything else is a wrong reading of the facts and reality,” said Emily Metz, President of the American Board, said.
“Our farmers in the battle of their lives, the period, the complete stop. Metz said:“ They are doing everything they can to keep the safe birds. This is a challenge in the show. Because of the bird flu. Nothing else. “
Agricultural work is suspected of monopolistic behavior. The group, which is pressing on behalf of the smallest farmers, consumers and rural societies, indicates that egg production has decreased by 4 % from last year, and about 7.57 billion table eggs have been produced last month, however, some consumers still empty egg shelves in local groceries.
“The dominant egg companies indicate that the bird flu is blaming the high prices that we see. Angela Hoffman, President of Farm, said the work, despite the low supply of eggs, but these companies have risen.” The Ministry of Justice has admitted that the letter of the group calling for the investigation, but it refused to comment on it.
The fact that in 2023, the jury eliminated that the main egg producers used various means to reduce the domestic supply of eggs to increase the price of products during the 2000s only to doubts about their motives now.
What do the numbers show?
Retail egg prices in general have remained less than $ 2 per scales for years before the start of this fascism. Prices have increased more than twice since then, which enhances profits for egg producers even while dealing with high costs.
Most dominant producers are private companies and do not issue their results. But the largest, Cal-Maine Foods, which provides about 20 % of the country’s eggs, is general, and its profits have increased significantly. Cal-Maine recorded a profit of $ 219 million in the last quarter when her eggs were sold at an average of $ 2.74 per ten, up from $ 1.2 million in the quarter before this fascism started in early 2022 when her eggs were selling $ 1.37 per ten.
Sherman Miller, Speaker of the House of Representatives and CEO of Cal-Maine, said in reporting that the rise in market prices “continued to rise in this fiscal year as supply levels of eggs were restricted due to the recent pathogenic influenza outbreak.”
But he said that Cal Min sold more eggs-about 330 million from dozens, an increase of 288 million in the previous year-in the quarter because the demand is very strong, and Cal Min made a number of acquisitions. Cal Maine also suffered in the spread of a few outbreaks on its farms, outside the facilities of a couple in Kansas and Texas. The company, which is based in the Mississippi state, has not responded to the headquarters of the Associated Press.
What about production costs?
Economists and analysts say standard egg prices are not a certain sign of something evil, and only short -term profits may last until farms reach. Once the herd is slaughtered, it may take it for a year to clean the farm and raise new birds to the age of laying eggs. The US Department of Agriculture pays farmers for every killing bird, but it does not cover all the costs of farmers because they go without income.
“I think, the consumer will feel that they are getting the end of the stick. But I guarantee you that farmers who have to dismantle the barns, they spend a more harsh time,” said Kobank Brian Irenest analyst.
Inflation contributed to the costs of feed, fuel and employment in the high prices of eggs, and farmers were investing in biological security measures to help remove the virus. Therefore, production costs seem to be the highest level ever, according to the producers ‘price index at the United States’ Labor Office.
“This is not a situation where they rise the price to raise the market. This is the price rises through the auction in the sentence. Jada Thompson, an economist at the University of Arkansas, said they benefit from the high prices because the supplies are narrow.
