Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins laid out a five-point plan on Wednesday to “immediately” bring down the cost of eggs, which have skyrocketed amid ongoing outbreaks of the avian flu.
Since January 2021, the average price of a dozen eggs has gone up 237 percent as supplies have dwindled due to the mass culling of laying hens.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Rollins said USDA will devote up to $500 million to help poultry producers implement biosecurity measures.
USDA has developed a successful pilot program, called Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments, to identify and implement more safety measures. Between January 2023 and January 2025, about 150 sites have undergone assessments, and producers have addressed the risks that USDA inspectors identified. Only one of these sites has subsequently been affected by avian flu. USDA will now provide this consulting service at no cost to all commercial egg-laying chicken farms. We will also pay up to 75% of the cost to repair biosecurity vulnerabilities. (WSJ)
Secondly, up to $400 million will go toward providing financial relief to farmers whose flocks have been hit by the avian flu, assisting them in restarting operations as quickly and safely possible.
Third, USDA is committed to spending up to $100 million for research and development on vaccines and therapeutics for hens. […]
— Read More: townhall.com
