Egg prices ease as poultry producers prepare for spring wildfowl migration

A report from the American Farm Bureau has good news for egg buyers. Egg prices have dropped sharply as production recovers from volatility caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza infections. While detections in January and February rose sharply, with over 15 million birds infected, it’s still 56 percent fewer birds infected than at the same time last year. Detections slowed in March, reflecting producer progress in managing the outbreak. USDA is urging farmers to be vigilant with biosecurity as the wildfowl spring migration gets underway. The migration is typically associated with increased disease pressure from HPAI as wild birds come in contact with domestic flocks. While HPAI does continue to circulate in wild bird populations, the impacts are concentrated in poultry, and broader livestock exposure has been more limited than in recent years. Experts say the limited spillover into other livestock sectors points to a more contained and manageable phase of the outbreak.