Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a strategy to import hundreds of millions of eggs as part of a wider plan addressing a severe bird flu outbreak that has devastated domestic chicken populations and led to rising egg prices.
US Turn to Turkey and South Korea for Egg Imports to Mitigate Soaring Prices
US Turn to Turkey and South Korea for Egg Imports to Mitigate Soaring Prices
In a bid to stabilize the skyrocketing egg prices in the U.S., the administration is looking to import millions of eggs from Turkey and South Korea.
The U.S. government is set to import a substantial quantity of eggs from Turkey and South Korea, as officials scramble to address record-high egg prices affecting consumers nationwide. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed that discussions are underway to secure hundreds of millions of eggs in the near term. This initiative comes in conjunction with a comprehensive $1 billion plan aimed at alleviating the economic impact induced by a severe bird flu epidemic that has led farmers to cull tens of millions of chickens.
Despite previous commitments to reduce consumer prices, egg costs have surged more than 65% in the last year, with projections suggesting an additional 41% rise by 2025. In light of the situation, Rollins expressed the hope that once the chicken population has been restored, the U.S. market would pivot back to relying on its internal egg production system.
Polish and Lithuanian poultry groups indicated they had been contacted by U.S. embassies regarding potential egg export opportunities to America. For instance, the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers in Poland revealed they were approached earlier this year about exports.
Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture rolled out a $1 billion, five-pronged strategy to combat escalating egg prices, which includes $500 million for biosecurity enhancements, $100 million allocated for vaccine research and development, and $400 million designated for farmer relief. With a commitment to assist egg farms in implementing best practices, the administration aims to curb the spread of bird flu, a project Rollins emphasized as critical following the loss of over 156 million birds since an outbreak began in 2022.
The rising egg prices have become a focal point for Trump during his recent presidential campaign. During a recent congressional address, he criticized the previous administration for the price surges while promising that new measures would help restore affordability in the market as the nation grapples with the ongoing challenges posed by avian flu.
