The Trump administration has nearly doubled egg imports from Brazil in an effort to bring down the cost of the key grocery item amid a severe domestic shortage caused by a devastating bird flu outbreak.
Federal officials are also considering relaxing regulations for eggs laid by chickens raised for meat to combat the sky-high prices, according to Reuters.
While none of the Brazilian or broiler chicken eggs would wind up on grocery shelves, they could be used in processed foods such as cake mixes, ice cream or salad dressing, freeing up more fresh eggs for shoppers.
Allowing use of broiler chicken eggs would require changing regulations, and some food safety experts warned that this could risk tainting food products with harmful bacteria.
Nationwide, economic strain persists from the virus that has wiped out nearly 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds since early 2022.
The Trump administration has emphasized the need to lower egg prices after they soared more than 50% earlier this year.
Wholesale prices in New York fell over 50% — from $8.53 to $4.08 per dozen — since the USDA announced a $1 billion plan to reduce egg costs.
But despite the sharp drop in wholesale egg prices, Agriculture Secretary. Brooke Rollins warned last week that consumers may not see lower grocery store prices soon.
She cited rising Easter demand and the looming threat of new bird flu outbreaks during spring migration as reasons retail prices might stay high or even increase.
“We need more yolks for folks,” quipped Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), who is co-sponsoring a bill to approve broader use of broiler chicken eggs in food manufacturing.
Those eggs are currently destroyed by the millions because they don’t meet refrigeration standards set by the FDA in 2009.
The chicken industry argues these eggs are safe once pasteurized, but food safety experts remain cautious.
“There is a real possibility of trading off increased risk of foodborne illness,” warned Susan Mayne, former director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
The egg crisis began in early 2022 when an aggressive strain of bird flu began decimating poultry flocks across the country.
Since then, nearly 170 million birds have died or been culled, leaving egg aisles sparse and restaurant prices climbing.
In response, the Trump administration rolled out a $1 billion initiative in February aimed at stabilizing the market.
That plan includes vaccine research, farm biosecurity improvements and outreach to international suppliers like Brazil, Turkey, and South Korea.
Brazilian egg imports surged 93% in February compared to the year before, according to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association.
These eggs, once limited to pet food, are now authorized for use in processed foods under new US rules.
Although Brazil cannot export shell eggs for retail sale due to concerns about the highly contagious Newcastle disease, its eggs can now legally enter the human food supply after processing.
Domestically, the push to allow broiler chicken eggs into the food stream is gaining traction.
The National Chicken Council has petitioned the FDA to permit this change, emphasizing that pasteurization mitigates health risks.
“Most of these eggs are simply thrown away,” said Mark Burleson, senior director of veterinary services at Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
The company alone discards roughly 500,000 such eggs each week.
Previously, they were sent to processing plants before regulatory changes made refrigeration mandatory within 36 hours of laying — a timeline meat producers say they can’t meet.
Meanwhile, some states are walking back animal welfare regulations to help ease supply constraints.
Nevada recently suspended a law requiring cage-free eggs, and Arizona lawmakers are weighing a repeal of a similar policy.
“A few years ago, the consumer was demanding a cage-free product,” said Patrick Bray of the Arizona Farm and Ranch Group.
“Now, the consumers’ eyes have been opened up a little bit as we’ve lost hundreds of millions of birds and egg prices are through the roof.”
Credit: Source link
