Egg prices in the US have been rising steadily and could go even higher. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), egg prices are expected to increase by 20.3% by the end of 2025. Retail egg prices increased by 8.4% in December 2024 alone.
The Trump administration is blaming the price jump on the bird flu outbreak that began in 2022, which led to the deaths of more than 20 million egg-laying hens in the US by the end of 2024. Retail prices in December 2024 were 36.8% higher than the same month last year, according to the Consumer Price Index. The average price for a dozen large, grade-A eggs in December was $4.16, up from $3.60 in November and $3.37 in October of that year.
“Not to sound like bad news, but we’re going to be in this situation for a while,” said Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board. “As long as we have time without any testing, unfortunately, this very limited supply of eggs is going to continue.”
The bird flu outbreak that began in February 2022 has led to the culling of more than 111 million birds, mostly egg-laying birds. The virus spreads rapidly and when it is detected, all birds on the affected farm are killed to prevent further spread.
California, which was hit hard by the outbreak, is facing a particular shortage of cage-free eggs. Along with California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon also have laws that require eggs sold within their borders to be cage-free. Because of the limited supply, eggs are being imported from other parts of the country to meet demand in these states.
“We’re having to bring in eggs from other areas of the country, where cage-free eggs are being produced, to make up for the short supply in those states, because those states only allow cage-free eggs to be sold,” Metz said.
The rising price of eggs isn’t just due to the bird flu. Overall inflation in the U.S. economy has also played a role in this. The USDA estimates that grocery prices will rise 1.3% in 2025, and food prices in general are expected to rise 2.2%.
The price of eggs also became a topic of political debate during the 2024 presidential race. Then-President Donald Trump blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for the price hike, claiming eggs were $5 a dozen during her tenure.
His comments came after his running mate, now Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech in Pennsylvania, where he argued that eggs cost $1.50 a dozen during Harris’ tenure, but now it has risen to nearly $4 due to inflation caused by her policies. Vance also said Pennsylvania has seen the worst grocery price hikes in the country.
In interviews and speeches, Trump has also said his focus is on lowering grocery prices. In his interview with Time magazine in December, when he was named “Person of the Year,” he acknowledged that lowering prices will not be easy. “I would like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring them down once things go up. You know, it’s very hard. But I think they will,” he said. “I think energy is going to bring them down. I think a better supply chain is going to bring them down.”
Trump reiterated his goal of lowering grocery prices during his inauguration on January 20, 2025, stating, “I will direct all members of my Cabinet to mobilize the enormous powers that they have to defeat record inflation and rapidly reduce costs and prices.”
