National Retail Report

Retail egg prices up 6 percent in a week

Egg prices in the supermarket are up 6 percent this week, resuming a climb that began on May 22 but took a brief dip in late June, says the USDA's National Retail Report.

The $1 billion elephant in Iowa’s caucus rooms

Iowa gets the first word on presidential nominees through its precinct caucuses, scheduled for Feb. 1, so the Hawkeye State is awash with candidates who are trying to build a bond with voters. "Yet for all their love for everyday Iowans, none of the candidates is getting anywhere near the biggest crisis to hit the state in years - one of the worst animal health emergencies in U.S. history," says Politico Magazine.

11 percent of egg-laying hens dead in two months from bird flu

U.S. egg farmers lost 11 percent of their laying hens in two months, the government said - the latest impact of the worst avian influenza epidemic to ever hit the poultry industry.

Egg prices drop 7 cents as bird-flu epidemic wanes

After increasing by 68 percent in five weeks, the price of eggs in supermarkets is down slightly. The average price for a dozen Large white eggs Grade A or better is $1.98 this week, 7 cents less than the previous week, according to the USDA's National Retail Report. "Shoppers will ... find some relief," says the report, noting more stores are featuring eggs in their advertisements.