Expect record-high egg prices for most of the year

Should this be something more closely investigated? Meanwhile, time to get some back yard chickens.

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Americans can continue to expect high prices for eggs this year, new estimates show, due to the ongoing avian flu outbreak and inflation.

Egg prices are estimated to increase about 20% in 2025, compared to about 2.2% for food prices in general, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s price outlook. Beef, coffee and orange juice are among groceries with higher prices, but eggs are uniquely impacted by the aggressive strain of avian flu, which has strained supply.

While some states escaped last year’s outbreaks, many have reported a resurgence of the virus, which killed about 17.2 million egg-laying hens in November and December. That’s nearly half of all birds killed by the virus in 2024, according to the USDA.

The average price of a dozen large, grade-A eggs was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices were also up more than 36% year-over-year in December, according to the Consumer Price Index.