What is really behind the high egg prices?
A group called Farm Action has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether it violated federal antitrust laws.
is it chicken game Or an inevitable response to rising costs, including fuel and fodder?
Farm Action is asking FTC to investigate possible egg price cuts
First, some background information on bird flu. The potential for outbreaks is greatest in spring and fall, when ducks and other birds are migrating north or south. Wild birds, mostly ducks, are carriers of bird flu.
Commercial flocks of birds are monitored for avian influenza through regular blood sampling. If a positive case is identified, the entire herd is euthanized to prevent the disease from spreading. After the birds are removed, the facility must be disinfected and new birds introduced. Chickens start laying eggs when they are 5 to 6 months old.
The most recent outbreak of avian influenza began in February 2022 and since then 58 million birds have been exterminated from commercial stocks.
Much of the bird flu testing takes place at Penn State University. Gino Lozenzoni, an assistant professor of poultry science, calls the recent outbreak “the largest animal emergency the USDA has faced in the United States.”
In a letter to the FTC, Farm Action said the rise in egg prices was the result of “a secret plan between industry leaders.” Farm Action is asking the FTC to look for violations of the federal antitrust laws by investigating possible “price gouging, price fixing and other unfair or fraudulent practices.”
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