Egg Costs Rise Amid Seasonal Demand and Avian Flu Concerns Across U.S. Farms
Egg prices in the United States are rising again after dropping to their lowest levels since 2023 in February. This increase is largely linked to seasonal demand around Easter, said Jada Thompson, a poultry agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“The story with egg prices now is uncertain,” said Thompson. “We know there is seasonal demand, but with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza rolling around and biological lags in replenishment, farmers really don’t have a lot of control when it comes to planning and egg placements. “They and consumers just have to ride the waves, and those waves have been bad these past few years.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported that table-egg production in January 2026 reached 656.7 million dozen, a 2.2% increase from January 2025. This growth came from a slightly higher average layer inventory and a small increase in the lay rate.
However, HPAI claimed 2.8 million commercial egg layers in January and caused the loss of an additional 9.5 million layers in February, mainly in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. These losses have led the USDA to revise table egg production forecasts downward for the first and second quarters of 2026.
“Fewer eggs tighten supply and can drive prices up,” said Thompson. “The change in those prices will depend on how many HPAI cases we get throughout the year. Nobody likes it, but we’ll have to wait and see the supply and demand working in real time.”
Consumers and farmers alike must be prepared for fluctuating prices. In recent years, these “waves” in egg markets have been pronounced, making adaptability crucial.
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