Trump administration Egg imports from Brazil have almost doubled To reduce the costs of major food products amid a severe domestic shortage caused by the catastrophic bird flu outbreak.
Federal officials are also considering relaxation restrictions on eggs laid by eggs laid by chickens raised for meat, according to Reuters.
Neither Brazilian or broiler chicken eggs were caught on grocery shelves, but they can be used in processed foods such as cake mix, ice cream and salad dressings, releasing fresh eggs for shoppers.
Regulation changes are required to allow the use of broiler chicken eggs, and some food safety experts warned that this is at risk of contaminating food with harmful bacteria.
National, Economic tension It will last from the virus that has wiped out approximately 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds since early 2022.
The Trump administration has stressed the need to lower egg prices after surged more than 50% earlier this year.
The wholesale price in New York exceeded 50% from $8.53 to $4.08 per dozen as USDA announced a $1 billion plan to reduce egg costs.
However, despite the sudden drop in wholesale egg prices, the agricultural secretary. Brooke Rollins warned last week that consumers may not immediately lower grocery prices.
She cited the looming threat of rising Easter demand and the new bird flu outbreak during the spring as retail prices remain high or even rise.
“We need more egg yolks for people,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), who co-hosted a bill to approve the wider use of broiler chicken eggs in food production.
These eggs are now being destroyed by millions of people because they do not meet the 2009 FDA-set freezer standards.
The chicken industry claims that these eggs are safe when pasteurized, but food safety experts remain cautious.
“There is a real possibility of trading increased risk of foodborne diseases,” warned Susan Maine, former director of the Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Center at the Food and Drug Administration.
The egg crisis began in early 2022, when aggressive tensions in avian flu began to destroy poultry herds around the country.
Since then, almost 170 million birds have either died or been culled, egg passages have become sparse and restaurants have risen.
In response, the Trump administration launched a $1 billion initiative in February aimed at stabilizing the market.
The plans include vaccine research, improving farm biosecurity and outreach to international suppliers such as Brazil, Turkey and South Korea.
According to the Brazilian Animal Protein Society, Brazil's egg imports skyrocketed 93% in February compared to the previous year.
These eggs were once limited to pet food, but are permitted to be used in processed foods under new US regulations.
Brazil cannot export shell eggs for retail sales due to concerns about the highly contagious Newcastle disease, but the eggs can legally enter human food supplies after processing.
Domestic, pushes to put broiler chicken eggs into the food stream gain traction.
The National Chicken Council petitions the FDA to allow this change, emphasizing that pasteurization reduces health risks.
“Most of these eggs are simply thrown away,” said Mark Burleson, senior director of veterinary services at Wayne Sanderson Farms.
At work alone, we throw out about 500,000 eggs every week.
Previously, it was sent to processing plants before regulations changed mandated refrigeration within 36 hours of installation.
Meanwhile, some states have retreated animal welfare regulations to facilitate supply constraints.
Nevada recently suspended laws requiring cageless eggs, and Arizona lawmakers are weighing the repeal of similar policies.
“A few years ago, consumers were demanding products that were not caged,” said Patrick Bray of Arizona Farm and Ranch Group.
“Now we're losing hundreds of millions of birds, so consumers' eyes are open a little and egg prices are passing through the roof.”
