Wholesale egg prices hit record highs last year, and so did cases of High Path Avian Flu with more than 43 million egg-laying hens taken out by the virus here in the U.S.
According to USDA, in the final weeks of December 2022, weekly egg inventories were down 29 percent compared to the start of the year and prices hit a high of $5.37 a dozen. Since then, the egg-laying flock has recovered as APHIS reports a sharp decline in cases this year.
As a result, wholesale egg prices have also fallen, hitting just 89 cents in the first week of May this year. At the end of June, egg inventories were around 24 percent higher than the lowest levels seen last year with the average price for a dozen eggs hovering around $1.23.
The department is expecting wholesale egg prices to level off as demand falls in the summer with consumers baking less often.
UT Extension also offers tips to help consumers stretch their grocery budgets, including meal planning, sticking to a shopping list, and choosing store or generic brands.
January 29, 2026 01:13 PM
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Mixed product pricing and rising milk supplies suggest margin management will remain critical as 2026 unfolds.
January 28, 2026 06:00 AM
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Marilyn Schlake with the UNL Department of Agricultural Economics joined us for a closer look at the evolving role of livestock sale barns.
January 27, 2026 12:19 PM
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Meat stocks rose seasonally but remain below last year overall, while tighter butter inventories could support dairy prices, and belly stocks warrant close watch for pork markets.
January 26, 2026 03:00 PM
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USDA Rural Development Director for Kentucky, Travis Burton, joined us to discuss the Princeton facility (formerly Porter Road Meats), now backed by the USDA, and its role in expanding domestic meat processing capacity.
January 23, 2026 03:39 PM
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Americans for Prosperity Arkansas Director Ryan Norris talks energy infrastructure, regulatory reform, and the role of critical minerals in supporting rural America.
January 23, 2026 01:54 PM
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Brian Earnest, an animal protein economist with CoBank, shares insights into current demand trends and the challenges facing broiler production.
January 22, 2026 06:34 PM
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Jack Hubbard, with the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares context and perspective on the controversial letter about Prop 12 circulating in Washington and how a review shows it misled the public.
January 22, 2026 06:25 PM
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President Donald Trump speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, addressing SNAP spending, tariff threats against Europe, market reactions, and the upcoming USMCA review.
January 21, 2026 11:50 AM
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