Michigan here, this is has been made worse by a new law requiring all eggs to be 'cage-free'. I think I paid $9 for the cheap store-brand eggs (18) last week. And that is, if they even have any eggs at the store. I've been to Wal-mart and Kroger when the entire section is empty with a sign saying there are egg supply issues. It's also winter so my 'chicken farmer friends' are low on eggs, when it's cold the chickens…
Eggs US – Price – Chart
401–410 of 810 posts
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#402Earlier quoted context omitted.
Actually the inconvenient truth is that it's not. Free range birds are able to interact and spread the disease more easily than the caged birds which can be quarantined. At least in my location all the cage free inventory is totally wiped out.
Cage free does not mean they're out in a field. It means all of the birds are in one crowded space. Eggs that come from birds that genuinely roam the pasture are exceedingly rare.
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#403From September 2020: Trump administration rolls back U.S. inspection rules for egg products. https://www.reuters.com/article/markets/commodities/trump-ad...
> "We feel very confident that, based on the once per shift that we have them there, we'll still be able to verify that they're producing safe product," he said.
So, what's the issue here?
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#404Earlier quoted context omitted.
The commercial eggs also last forever outside the fridge. That thing about the natural sealant is a widely believed myth. Source: I leave my commercial eggs outside the fridge, and they last with zero problems.
I don't think it's a myth compared to unwashed eggs. You should try leaving washed eggs out on the counter for 20+ days (incubation for a chicken) and see.
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#405Earlier quoted context omitted.
The only thing caged birds do is interact with other birds. There’s a reason antibiotics are so widely used. It’s like a massive Petri dish.
Antibiotics are not widely used. There are many regulations, to use them at all you need a vet to sign off. You also have to pay for them. Then the animal has to be off of them for weeks before you can sell it. In any case where are talking about a virus which an antibiotic won't touch at all. Modern large farms have very strict bio controls. Things like: You shower before entering the barn (there is a shower in the…
This isn't true, some types of antibiotics are routinely used as a preventative measure on chicken farms.
> Both FDA and the World Health Organization (WHO) rank antibiotics relative to their importance in human medicine. The highest ranking is “critically important.” Antibiotics in this category are used sparingly to treat sick birds. Antibiotics in other less-important classes may be used in chicken production to maintain poultry health and welfare, including for disease prevention, control and treatment purposes.
https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/questions-answers-ant...
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#406I live in CA and saw a massive jump in prices when the state ordered chickens to be euthanized due to bird flu. It was also the first time I saw grocery store shelves completely empty of eggs for days at a time. Prices for organic eggs have somewhat returned to pre-bird flu levels but the regular sales and discounts have stopped. Non-organic eggs are still significantly higher.
I'm in CA and TJ's was empty for months not too long ago.
There are 3 Whole Foods within a 15 minute drive of me, 4 Publix, 2 TJ's, a Sprouts, and 2 Costco locations in that same range as well.
Nowhere have I seen eggs.
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#407Earlier quoted context omitted.
US eggs last exactly the same amount of time, and they do not actually require refrigeration, it's basically a custom at this point that customers expect.
Once the egg has been refrigerated (which it will be in shipping and in the supermarket) breaking the cold chain is, at best, risky; you'll potentially get condensation which can lead to contamination.
I don't refrigerate my US eggs, I've been doing that for years, with zero problems.
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#408Earlier quoted context omitted.
I built a chicken coop, mostly as a hobby, and the eggs were a bonus. the 1,000 in materials for the structure and 25 bucks a month in food and bedding make that amortization table go out a couple of decades before you see ROI. I joke that they are the most expensive organic eggs you can buy. ;)
That $800 first egg... 10 years back, we were getting eggs at something like 25c/egg in feed costs. But we had a bunch of birds that only laid every 2 or 3 days, so they were no where near as efficient as a first year dedicated layer. OTOH, they all had names, we had most of the egg colors, and the bantam eggs were so cute. And the one hen that basically only laid double yolkers.
Also their bedding makes fantastic compost for next year's veggies.
It's a nice system.
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#409Earlier quoted context omitted.
They didn’t include 'women' and 'female' in that list.
Consider for a moment: what if it did include those terms? What do you think it'd indicate if some hypothetical government decided to hunt down those words across the scientific literature and subject them to review? Would that indicate something meaningful to you? Now keep that thought in mind... and now acknowledge that that hypothetical government is actually the current one. Pay close attention to what your mind…
Re: Eggs US – Price – Chart
#410Earlier quoted context omitted.
I guess I don't see why local farmers _wouldn't_ raise their prices to maintain their premium above store-bought eggs. They certainly have around here.
Because in setups like I'm describing the farmers tend to start building relationships with their customers. Price gouging is generally not the best way to maintain those relationships. In previous egg shortages over the years the couple of farmers I use would sometimes impose limits like 1 carton per customer or something like that. But not jack up prices.
As you mention, they'll impose limits (or perhaps offer "shiny brown eggs for $1 more") rather than piss off the customers, who 90% of the time have cheaper options already.