Egg prices soar as bird flu outbreak worsens

Egg prices continue to climb nationwide due to the ongoing bird flu outbreak, with Long Island residents now paying up to $7.24 per dozen. 

The virus has caused the euthanization of millions of birds, leading to supply shortages and increased costs. Experts say the next few weeks will determine the full impact on prices and availability.

Egg prices on the rise

What we know:

Egg prices have increased by 36.8% nationally over the past year. In New York, the cost of a dozen eggs has reached $7.24, up 52 cents from just last week.

The USDA reported 13 million bird flu cases in poultry last month, forcing many farms to euthanize entire flocks. This supply shortage has drastically driven up egg prices.

Related

Egg prices rose nearly 37 percent in 12 months; here's why

Egg prices are up nearly 37 percent, as the highly contagious bird flu devastates U.S. flocks. Here's what to know.

"It used to be $4, but now they're a little bit up there," a shopper who spoke with FOX 5 said. 

Consumer advocates say bird flu is to blame, with 13 million cases of the virus found in poultry in the last month, according to the USDA. 

Long Island duck farm facing uncertain future

Local perspective:

The Crescent Duck Farm, Long Island's final remaining commercial farm, has been hit by bird flu as well, announcing Friday that they had culled around 100,000 birds.

"We’re just stunned right now," said Doug Corwin, 66, whose family has owned the roughly 140-acre farm since the 1640s. "It’s a very, very sad time. We’re trying our best to work our way through this, one step at a time."

Related

Over 100,000 birds euthanized at Long Island farm to contain bird flu outbreak

Over 100,000 birds were euthanized at a poultry farm on Long Island to prevent the spread of bird flu, FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg confirmed.

Corwin told the Associated Press that his amily will have to reckon with the future of the fourth-generation business, which was established in 1908 and is tucked among the vineyards and agricultural lands of Long Island's North Fork, about 80 miles (129 km) east of Manhattan.

Corwin said he was forced to lay off 47 of the farm’s 75-member staff, including many who had worked there for decades as the farm’s revenue cratered.

"If duck farming isn’t an option, I’m not sure what we’d do," he said. "We’re not really set up for anything else."

Long Island was once a center of duck production in the U.S., thanks to its abundance of freshwater streams, friendly climate and proximity to major East Coast cities.

During its heyday in the early 1960s, the region boasted more than 100 farms, producing up to 7.5 million birds annually, or about two-thirds of the nation’s duck output.

Crescent Duck Farm has been the island’s lone remaining operation for the better part of a decade, as higher operating costs, tougher regulations and increasing suburban sprawl took their toll.

Today the farm supplies nearly 4% of all the ducks sold in the country, supplying restaurants across the Northeast and beyond, including a number of high-end establishments in New York City, Corwin said.

What's next:

Experts say the next few weeks will determine if egg supplies can recover or if further shortages and price increases are expected.

The FDA says that it is unlikely that eggs from infected poultry are on sale in stores, but just to be safe, they advise cooking our eggs to 165 degrees to ensure safety.


 

Long IslandFood and DrinkConsumer