Trump is not responsible for egg prices. Reminiscent of those who put Biden’s sticker on gas pumps, Americans are now seeing Trump stickers in the egg section of their local grocery store. Over 108 million chickens have been killed since 2022 to prevent the spread of the bird flu, according to the USDA. About 13 million were culled in recent months leading to a 15% uptick in egg prices this January. Egg prices in Canada have remained relatively stable despite the bird flu due to the egg supply management system and a different method of farming.
American egg farms can host millions of chickens, and while this usually leads to lower prices, it has become detrimental during the bird flu outbreak. The USDA will kill every chicken on a farm if the bird flu is detected. Now, Canada does not have this problem as commercial egg farms are not widespread, with the average egg farm hosting only 25,000 hens. Multiple Canadian farms could get hit with the bird flu, and it would not dent the overall industry.
Established in 1972, Canada’s supply management system was implemented to maintain prices. Production control is used to determine quotas and match egg supply with demand. Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs). Provincial organizations often set prices. Yet, this system means Canadians typically pay more for egg prices in an average year and prices will vary by province. No one is profiting more from a fruitful harvest so to speak. Canada’s Food Price Report 2025 predicts a 6% increase in egg prices this year but that is nothing compared to the 20% uptick the USDA is forecasting.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also evaluates each flock of chickens for infection. The agency does not always demand that every bird be culled but it is far easier to quarantine and separate flocks on smaller farms. You simply cannot do that in giant commercial operations. These commercial farms are yet another reason so many animals are injected with antibiotics and vaccines since we are talking about MILLIONS of animals here.
It is not in America’s capitalistic nature to limit boom-bust periods with a supply management system. However, the industry may need to rethink farming practices. Absolutely everyone is complaining about egg prices, and there is little the US can do. Turkey has signed a deal with the US to ship a total of 15,000 tonnes of eggs or 700 containers until July. Eggs are more likely to be available as a result of this deal rather than seeing a notable price decrease. The issue really is that when a few commercial farms in the US are hit, the entire egg supply plummets. It is not an issue of farming practices rather than politics.
