US egg prices soar threatening Christmas

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A devastating bird flu outbreak has collided with peak holiday baking season, pushing American egg prices to unprecedented heights. The Midwest now faces costs of $5.67 for a dozen large eggs, surpassing the previous record of $5.46 set in December 2022.

Since mid-October, the virus has claimed 17 million egg-laying hens and pullets, marking one of the worst periods in an outbreak that began in February 2022. The crisis has spread beyond poultry, affecting dairy cattle and even hospitalising a person in Louisiana with H5N1 bird flu.