By Bernt Nelson
Key Takeaways
- After nearly 21 million birds were affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) between January and March 2026, detections have fallen, with less than 10,000 birds affected so far in May. The resulting increase in egg supply comes during a time of softened demand.
- Retail prices for shell eggs are currently 62% below last year, while prices paid to farmers for shell eggs are down 93%. Prices for breaker eggs, used for the liquid egg market, have fallen to just 8 cents per dozen, 96% below last year and well below break-even levels.
- Prolonged periods of below break-even prices could force farms out of the market and contribute to continued consolidation in the egg industry.
Egg markets have encountered massive volatility since outbreaks of HPAI began in 2022. Retail shell egg prices hit a record level in 2025 but are now nearly 60% lower than a year ago as supplies have strengthened and HPAI cases declined. This demonstrates growing resilience in the poultry industry, but as egg supplies rebound, prices are now falling while expenses remain elevated, threatening farm profitability.
U.S. Egg Market Structure
According to USDA’s 2025 Chickens and Eggs Summary, a total of 105.25 billion eggs were produced in the United States in 2025, down about 3.9 billion eggs or 4% from 2024 — reflecting impacts from HPAI. All eggs produced for human consumption are called table eggs. About 90.2 billion eggs, or 86% of all eggs produced in 2025, were table eggs, while 15.2 billion, or about 14%, were hatching eggs used for producing chickens. Out of the table eggs produced for human consumption, about 30%, or 31.6 billion, commonly called breaker eggs, went to specialized breaking facilities for the liquid egg market. The liquid eggs are then converted into ingredients for industrial bakers, the food service industry or other food manufacturers. The remaining unbroken table eggs, sold in cartons at the grocery store, are called shell eggs. About 60% of all eggs produced in the U.S. in 2025, or about 63.2 billion eggs, were shell eggs.
Prices and Volatility
Farmgate prices for eggs have fallen sharply in 2026. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) began reporting weekly data for the average price paid to egg producers in the Midwest region for large white shell eggs in January 2025. AMS reports the average price paid to Midwestern egg producers for white shell eggs for the week of May 8, 2026, was 25 cents per dozen, down $3.19 per dozen or 93%, from the same week in 2025.
Prices for breaker eggs have fallen even more. According to AMS, the average national price paid for a dozen breaking stock eggs in April was just 8.73 cents per dozen, 96% lower than $2.48 per dozen in April 2025.
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