During his campaign, President Donald Trump promised to lower grocery and egg prices “on day one.”
However, his top agriculture representative, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, recently acknowledged that there is no “silver bullet” to resolve the avian flu crisis that has caused the rise in egg prices.
In an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Rollins outlined a five-point strategy to tackle the issue.
While she emphasised that the plan would not immediately fix the problem, she expressed confidence that it would stabilise the egg market over the next three to six months and maintain long-term stability for years to come.
The strategy includes a $500 million investment to enhance biosecurity, $400 million in relief for farmers, the removal of certain regulatory barriers, the exploration of vaccine options for chickens, and the possibility of importing eggs from other countries.
Despite the administration’s efforts, Trump and his officials have largely blamed the Biden administration for the egg price surge, arguing that it failed to take the issue seriously.
However, experts warn that egg prices could continue to rise, with projections indicating a 40 percent increase in 2025.
According to recent data from the Agriculture Department, retail egg prices jumped by 13.8 percent in January, with prices now 53 percent higher compared to the same month last year.
In response, some restaurants have begun adding surcharges to egg-based dishes. Additionally, some Democratic lawmakers are urging federal regulators to investigate the industry’s price hikes.
The main driver of the price spike has been the bird flu outbreak, which has led to the culling of millions of chickens.
More than 166 million chickens have been slaughtered over the past three years as part of efforts to prevent the disease’s spread.
The Biden administration launched the National Milk Testing Strategy to track the flu in cows and other dairy products, dedicating more resources toward controlling the outbreak, a move that continued into the early days of Trump’s administration.
Rollins acknowledged there is no quick solution to the crisis, stating that if there were, it would have been addressed under the previous administration.
She also reiterated that President Trump made this issue a priority from the outset of his presidency. Efforts are underway to repopulate the chicken population after millions were culled due to exposure to the virus.
However, Rollins declined to specify which countries might be involved in egg imports to the U.S.
One regulatory issue Rollins highlighted was California’s Proposition 12, which mandates specific housing standards for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, and veal calves to ensure their freedom of movement and cage-free conditions.
This regulation, upheld by the Supreme Court in 2023, has been cited as a contributing factor to rising egg prices, though the exact impact remains a matter of debate.
Rollins projected that egg prices should begin to decrease later in the spring or summer but warned that prices could rise further in the short term, especially as demand increases around Easter.
She urged American consumers to remain patient, assuring them that relief is on the horizon.
“The American taxpayers, American consumers, and American poultry farmers have relief coming right around the corner,” Rollins said.
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