HPAI Wreaks Havoc on Egg Industry
March 2025
Cage-Free Laws Newsletter
In January 2025, 85% of HPAI cullings took place in caged egg facilities leading to drastic price increases throughout the country. In 2024, cage-free facilities were responsible for about 60% of HPAI cullings indicating that the spread of bird flu affects both caged and cage-free facilities.
Despite this on-going, three year epidemic, many are wondering: are laws requiring cage-free eggs contributing to the frequent outbreaks of bird flu?
No. In short, bird flu does not discriminate based on facility-type.
January 2025 marked the highest number of birds culled from farms due to bird flu since the start of bird flu in 2022.
In the first few months of 2025 30 million hens were culled which almost matches the amount of birds culled in 2024 altogether. In turn, this leads to higher egg prices and empty cases across the US. Midway through March 2025 the amount of layer cullings has seemingly slowed.
With egg prices predicted to increase 41.1% throughout 2025 some have scapegoated cage-free laws. In response, farmers and journalists are setting the record straight about what is actually causing increased egg prices and egg shortages, and why these important cage-free laws must stay enacted.
To learn more, please visit www.cagefreelaws.com
Cage-Free News
Colorado Egg Producers Defend Cage-Free Law
An attempt to reverse Colorado’s cage-free law failed. "The bill is probably not necessary," says Bill Scebbi, the Executive Director at Colorado Egg Producers.
Scebbi continues "It appears that people are under the impression that cage-free laws have caused a shortage in eggs, and they have not. The shortage of eggs is due to avian influenza across the United States. We don't have enough hands producing eggs, and our eggs are sold on a commodity market, so it's supply and demand that's in play here.... So the cage-free law really has nothing to do with the shortage of eggs, nor currently the price of eggs."
Michigan Egg Producers Defend Cage-Free Law
Dr. Nancy Barr, the Executive Director of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, disagrees that Michigan’s new cage-free law is the reason for egg price increases.
“The supply and the demand is really the major factor for egg prices. And because of the impacts of the highly pathogenic avian influenza over the past year or two... that's why you are seeing higher egg prices now," Barr said.
Nevada Temporarily Suspends Cage-Free Law
Nevada suspended all egg regulations, including its cage-free law for 120 days.
Senior reporter Kenny Torrella writes, “It’s unlikely that efforts to repeal and suspend cage-free egg laws will lower egg prices, because there’s already little slack in the national egg supply. The whole country is facing egg shortages, so there’s not exactly a surplus of eggs lying around to fill the gap in Nevada, Michigan, and other cage-free states.”
USDA’s Five-Point Plan to Combat Bird Flu
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins detailed a five-point plan to combat bird flu and reduce egg prices, including increased payouts to farmers, expanded biosecurity audits, and more. A few weeks later, Secretary Rollins reversed her pro-vaccine position.
Cage-free Legislation Developments
More states are pushing legislation forward to ban the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens, including New York, Maryland, and Vermont.
To learn more about the current state laws concerning extreme animal confinement, and your legal responsibilities as a business selling eggs or egg products, visit www.cagefreelaws.com
