The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states settled with Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch over allegations of price-fixing, resulting in $3.3 million in payments and 53 million eggs donated to food banks.
Business groups warn that an H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Australian commercial poultry flocks could drive egg prices above $10 a carton, following confirmed cases in wild birds. The industry, which contributes over $10bn to the national economy, has biosecurity plans, but concerns remain about wider species carrying the virus and the impact on free-range farms.
Egg producers are facing a profit squeeze as prices fall due to oversupply, while input costs for feed, fuel, and labor remain high. Despite strong consumer demand for protein, lower wholesale prices mask the financial strain on farmers.
