AFIA looks to refute "conspiracy theories" around feed and US egg prices and lower output

Published Feb 1, 2023

Tridge summary

The article addresses the surge in speculation around the cause of the recent rise in egg prices in the US, which has been linked to the avian flu outbreak and high feed and transportation costs. However, there has been a growing belief, fueled by social media and news reports, that the switch to commercial chicken feed may be responsible for reduced egg production. The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has refuted these claims, highlighting that proper nutrition, feed freshness, and other factors can impact egg production. The AFIA also pointed out that local or commercial feeds should not significantly affect animal production, as long as the feed is properly transported and stored. Additionally, the article touches on the accusations of price gouging by egg producers, which have been dismissed, and the significant reduction in table egg production in the US in 2022, contributing to the observed price increases.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

‘No, there isn’t a conspiracy theory around chicken feed and reduced egg production,” it entitled a blog post on the issue. This past week, there has been an uptick in social media videos and news articles perpetuating false claims about commercial chicken feed and its impact on the availability and price of eggs, said the AFIA. US retail egg prices jumped from $1.79 per dozen in December 2021 to $4.25 per dozen in December 2022. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that the record outbreak of avian flu is the reason for the high prices, restricting supplies, at a time of peak demand and higher costs for feed and transportation. Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, however, claimed this week that the the egg shortage is not a result of the avian flu outbreak but instead it is due to the feed the birds are given: "Some of them, some chicken farmers, have noticed something odd. Their chickens aren't laying eggs or as many eggs. And these chickens don't appear sick with avian ...

Source: UKfeednavigator