Chairman Harris Holds Briefing on the Current Price of Eggs

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Andy Harris M.D. (MD-01), Chairman of the Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Rural Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations, held a briefing on the rising price of eggs with Congressional members and expert panelists including USDA Chief Economist, Dr. Seth Meyer, Administrator of the Animal, Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Mr. Kevin Shea, egg market analyst for Urner Barry, Ms. Karyn Rispoli and others.

Since January 2022, the average price for eggs increased from $1.92 to $4.82 per dozen and according to the Consumer Price Index, the price of eggs has increased 70 percent over the past year, including 8.5 percent since December alone. As inflation remains at an all-time high, American families continue to struggle with higher food prices. While consumers saw prices rise across their grocery bills, the most dramatic increase over the past year was the price of eggs.

Congressman Harris Statement: “We all understand that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has decimated poultry flocks. Over 58 million farm-raised birds have died during the current outbreak, including 43 million laying hens. It makes sense that fewer layers have resulted in lower egg production, leading to higher prices for consumers. However, it seems baffling that a 5 percent decrease in layers has resulted in a 70 percent increase in egg prices. Economic research suggests that during the 2015 outbreak, the price of eggs increased 6 to 7 percent for every 1 percent loss in egg layers. During the current outbreak, the price of eggs has increased about 15 percent for every 1 percent loss in egg layers. It is important for our Subcommittee to understand the market dynamics causing this significant increase in prices, as well as actions USDA is taking to mitigate the issue for both producers and consumers.”

Background Info: In April 2022, as the Ranking Member of House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Harris met with the USDA APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea and discussed the spread of the HPAI which continues to be a serious concern for the poultry industry. At the time, APHIS had recently detected several outbreaks of HPAI, which the agency defined as “a serious disease that requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.” The goal for the meeting a year ago was to protect our poultry industry, and in turn, the American consumer.