The average price of eggs has now climbed to an all-time high of $4.95 a dozen. In some parts of the country, it's much higher. Experts say the reason eggs are so costly right now is primarily due to a sharp decrease in supply. Over 160 million hens have been killed because of the bird flu.
Many shoppers find themselves cutting back on eggs because they're so much more expensive than they used to be.
"I was going to make a quiche that I like to make, and it's about six eggs, so I figured I'd do something else," Jon Florey said while grocery shopping, adding, "I like to have just have scrambled eggs sometimes, and I'm not doing that so much."
Another grocery store shopper, Kristine Carey, said despite the shortage, her store is managing to keep them on the shelves.
"There used to be a sign that said, 'Limit Two.' I see that it's not there, but there's never been no eggs," she said.
Restaurants also feel the pinch. Mac's Deli and Cafe used to spend $1,200 for their monthly supply. Now they dish out $4,000.
"We use a lot of eggs. I mean, that's why people come here for breakfast, a lot," said manager Tatum Soltani.
The restaurant, like many others, has implemented a two-dollar surcharge on all egg dishes. Customers like Mike Mullins don't like it, but seem to understand.
"It's a supply and demand issue," he said. "There's a bird flu and a bunch of birds died. So you have to kind of adapt to the situation."The Trump administration announced it's now prioritizing ways to reduce the spread of the bird flu and tackle the high price of eggs.
The new Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, announced a five-point plan.
It starts with protecting flocks from becoming infected with bird flu in the first place.
"Mostly, it comes from wild fowl that fly over or get into the barns," Rollins said. "So USDA will be producing at no charge an audit to every single egg farmer in this country, and then we will help them secure their barns."
Next, the administration plans to quickly offer replacement birds for the 160 million that were recently killed.
The third action involves peeling back costly regulations placed on egg producers.
Fourthly, the U.S. plans to import eggs temporarily.
"We're talking to 3 or 4 countries right now about getting between 70 and 100 million eggs into the country in the next month or two, which, of course, will help with supply and demand," Rollins said.
Lastly, the administration plans to investigate whether birds should be inoculated.
"Our poultry industry does not use vaccinations right now," Rollins said. "A lot of the industry believes on the egg-laying side that we should."
Rollins said this is a more long-term goal because she said a reliable, effective bird flu vaccine currently doesn't exist.
MORE:
- Why Are Egg Prices Exploding?
- 'World's Most Perfect Food': Why Eggs Are Back on the Breakfast Menu and Could Save Your Life
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