This chart shows the Consumer Price Index since 1980. The peak is in 2025. But look at these two other increases. They were caused by the same problem that tries to “peck” our money out of our wallet. Or more precisely, the outbreak of bird flu. Just like in 2015, the price should come down eventually, right? Well, it's not that simple.
The spread of the bird flu virus has put experts and farmers on particularly high alert.
The chart shows the consumer price index since 1980.
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“The industry slaughtered over 170 million pieces of poultry, which is truly unprecedented,” explains Harry Kaiser, professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University.
And politicians blaming each other does not solve the problem.
— The Biden administration and the Department of Agriculture led to the mass slaughter of more than 100 million chickens, says Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary
If the epidemic is not brought under control soon, egg prices could exceed the record high of six dollars reached in February 2025. per dozen. This is twice as much as the year before. Of course this is just an average. In the US, shelves are filled with packages costing eight or even $10. Bird flu wreaks havoc not only among chickens.
Why is the bird flu epidemic so serious? And how long will eggs be so expensive?
H5N1 bird flu usually begins in wild migratory birds. If other birds come into contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces, they will also become infected. The virus then copies itself rapidly, attacking multiple organs. And on large poultry farms, chickens are kept so close together that the virus can spread quickly between them.
The flu is so dangerous for chickens that entire flocks can die within 48 hours of infection. Federal policy requires all birds in a flock to be culled if just one tests positive for bird flu. So far, breeders have had to slaughter over 170 million birds.
“In 2015, the number was around 50 million,” Kaiser explains.
Culling hens causes a short-term increase in egg and chicken prices. However, it stops the development of the flu. Farmers can then rebuild their herds and resume egg production. During the epidemic a decade ago, poultry producers did just that. And it worked. So why isn't it working now?
For the first time in history, bird flu has been detected in cows. Scientists believe infected cows can spread the virus to healthy herds. The risk is greater when dairy farms and poultry farms are close to each other, as they are here. This makes it much more difficult to stop the spread of the virus.
The greater the movement of the virus and the greater its replication, the greater the chances that the virus will mutate and adapt to a new host
– explains Abraar Karan, infectious disease physician, Stanford University.
A host like us. Cows and humans have several things in common.
— Very high levels of the virus were detected in cows' udders. The types of receptors found in their udders are the same ones found in human eyes and the upper and lower respiratory tract. Depending on how the virus can mutate, there are concerns about how contagious and deadly it is to humans. How likely is it to cause pneumonia and kill people? Karan asks.
Of the 70 human cases reported so far in the U.S., one death has been reported — a resident of Louisiana. Almost 60 percent these cases were the result of contact with cattle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the current risk to public health is low.
170 million pieces of poultry were slaughtered in the USA
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Are we really dealing with an epidemic on farms?
Crystal Heath, a veterinarian, is skeptical of this message, however. We followed Crystal as she photographed dairy farms and poultry farms in California to document and reveal just how serious this epidemic is.
— Today we pass by some dairy farms and poultry farms that I have visited before. The last time I was there, I filmed dead cow fetuses lying on the ground, cows with a lot of nasal discharge, and cows breathing rapidly. I don't know for sure if they had bird flu, but these are all signs. We do not see the consequences of the outbreak in poultry flocks because they are hidden. This is not the case with bird flu in dairy cows because they live outdoors. It's easy to drive past any farm and see for yourself what's going on. Unfortunately, there are not many materials in the media showing sick cows. Look how many birds there are. The birds eat food, drink from waterers and defecate into them. So they can spread this disease to cows. You can hear birds in the background. You can also hear a cannon making loud noises trying to scare away the birds. The birds seem unimpressed with the cannon. This is how bird flu can spread from birds to dairy farms, explains Crystal Heath.
Business Insider cannot confirm that there have been outbreaks of bird flu on these farms. As of April 2, 2025, however, 996 U.S. dairy herds have contracted bird flu. Over 75 percent cases occurred in California.
Thousands of highly stressed animals live in these facilities in close contact with people. This is an ideal environment for viruses to mutate and potentially spread to humans. Many of these facilities are implementing every possible safety protocol. Despite this, epidemics still occur there
– explains the doctor.
Experts say there is so far no reason to believe you can get bird flu from drinking pasteurized milk or eating beef.
“There was no one who got sick like that,” Karan says.
The price of eggs is up. Farmers receive subsidies
Despite all this, egg prices are at record highs. Cows are sick. And people may be at risk. What can we do? There is one more possibility. Vaccinations.
However, producers fear that they will not be able to trade internationally. Trading partners refuse to purchase vaccinated poultry because the birds may not show symptoms but can still carry and spread the disease.
The congressional chicken panel says losing access to the export market could mean an annual loss of $10 billion. or more. Yet bird flu has already spread to all continents except Australia.
“If disease detection is a problem, better surveillance protocols for imported poultry need to be put in place,” Karan says.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration's secretary of Health and Human Services, is known for providing misinformation about vaccines. He said vaccinations would turn these birds into “mutant factories”. He suggested allowing the virus to run its course without intervening.
You know what else causes mutant factories? Uncontrolled spread of the virus as it constantly mutates and transmits. Similar thinking once occurred when it came to vaccinating people. There is of course a risk because viruses will replicate and mutate anyway. However, this is not an argument against vaccination. A reasonable goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality
– says the doctor.
Restaurateurs are also feeling the effects of egg price increases
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Comments by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came as the Department of Agriculture announced $1 billion in additional money. for the fight against bird flu, of which USD 100 million was earmarked exclusively for vaccine research. The Biden administration has spent just over $2 billion. to manage the epidemic, but the success was partial. However, these billions are not only intended to help find a solution.
Companies that have to cull their birds because of bird flu receive millions of dollars in taxpayer-subsidized funding
says Heath.
The Department of Agriculture's recent investment means 40 percent will be allocated. funds to compensate producers for losses incurred. Critics say this could discourage poultry producers from changing their breeding practices.
— People need to remember that when big money is at stake, finding a solution is secondary for companies. At least until a lot of people get sick and action really needs to be taken, Karan says.
Several poultry farmers declined to talk to Business Insider due to fears of retaliation and losing customers. The Department of Justice recently launched an investigation into price gouging by large egg producers, including withholding supplies to keep prices high.
Restaurants and consumers are trying to cope
Tribeca Park Cafe in New York had to increase the price of its classic bacon, egg and cheese combo by 75 cents. The owner even posted Business Insider articles about rising egg prices to explain the decision to customers. It didn't work out too well.
We lost about half of our customers
says Sayed Abdalla, owner of Tribeca Park Cafe.
Across the country, restaurants like Waffle House have done the same. Bakeries like Norma's Sweets in New Orleans are also feeling the price increases.
It hurts. We usually paid $35-40 for eggs, and now we pay $118-120. It's terrible and it's hard for us
says Jose Castillo, manager at Norma's Sweets.
Bird flu raises prices and raises concerns for people
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Americans look for egg deals whenever they can. In 2015, it took about six months for egg prices to return to pre-epidemic levels. We are in the third year of the current epidemic in the US, and the only relief for the market is the decline in wholesale egg prices. However, it is unclear if or when consumers will see lower prices at grocery stores.
In March, the Department of Agriculture predicted that prices in 2025 would increase by 57.6%. Despite additional government funding to fight bird flu, widespread layoffs of health care workers could make the fight against the disease more difficult. Harry is more optimistic about egg prices.
—Let me discuss a short series. Bird flu causes a supply shock that causes prices to double. Egg producers get a signal from the market to increase production and take advantage of high prices. In a funny way, the high prices we're seeing now could ultimately result in low prices. Producers who currently have healthy hens will certainly increase their production, Kaiser explains.
However, infectious disease experts warn that the market recovery is more complicated this time due to the mutation of the virus. So is there any way to save money these days? Stores like Trader Joe's, Aldi, and Costco often have the best prices. However, this doesn't help much if the eggs aren't on the shelves.
However, you can get substitutes such as bananas and flaxseeds for baking, chickpea flour for an omelette, or old-fashioned liquid egg whites. If you want to consume more protein, consider other options such as beans, seeds or nuts. Even if you're not ready to make the change yet, modify your favorite recipes to be egg-free, which could come in handy the next time prices go up.
