Why egg prices have tumbled since Trump returned to office : NPR

Key Points:

• Egg prices in the U.S. have dropped by more than half during President Trump's second term, falling from $4.95 per dozen in January 2025 to $2.27 in August 2029, but this decline is largely due to factors beyond administration policy.
• The primary driver of egg price fluctuations has been severe avian flu outbreaks in 2022 and 2024-2025, which decimated flocks and caused prices to spike to a record $6.23 per dozen in March 2025 before recovering as flocks rebuilt.
• The Trump administration allocated up to $1 billion to combat avian flu, including funding for biosecurity enhancements and farmer compensation, and also increased egg imports to help stabilize supply, though imports had a modest overall impact.
• Despite regulatory efforts to ease burdens on farmers, Trump's tariffs and the conflict with Iran have increased operational costs for poultry farmers by raising prices for feed, fertilizer, transportation, and packaging materials.
• Allegations of price-fixing among major egg producers led to a 2025 settlement, highlighting additional market complexities affecting egg prices beyond disease and policy.