The egg industry has nearly recovered from last year’s devastating bird flu epidemic that killed nearly 50 million turkeys and egg-laying hens. The monthly Chickens and Eggs report says there are 361 million laying hens on U.S. farms at the start of April, the highest total in a year. Some 8.5 billion eggs were laid during March, 1-percent less than in the preceding March and the largest monthly production in a year.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza epidemic peaked last April, with Iowa, the No. 1 egg state, and Minnesota, the leader in turkey production, being hit the hardest. Of the 232 outbreaks in commercial and backyard flocks, more than 80 percent were in those two states.
The recovery in laying flocks means there will be nearly one dozen additional eggs per person this year, according to the USDA. Egg prices, one of the most volatile elements of the U.S. food basket, are forecast to decline for the rest of this year.