Over the past year, the cost of a dozen eggs has more than doubled in many states. Thanks to
inflation
, what was once $4.25 can now cost over $7, depending on the variety that is available. A large factor in this exorbitant increase in cost is
avian flu
, which has been ravishing American flocks. This is not only the contributing factor, but it is one that the Biden administration has been more than happy to let take the blame.
President Joe Biden declared on Jan. 12 that “much of that increase [in prices] was due to the avian flu outbreak, which has driven up the egg prices around — in the United States.” What the president does not mention, however, is the increased cost of farming inputs. These include such things as feed and fertilizers. And these inputs have had massive supply chain issues.
Last year, a
farmer
in Florida stated that he was paying over 20% more for his feed. A
farmer
in California said his feed inputs had tripled, amounting to over 60% of his business budget. This is a nationwide issue, as fertilizer prices continue to skyrocket. The dynamic is leaving many farmers not able to fertilize and get the yield they need to produce enough corn to supply the nation. The fertilizer, which mainly comes from Eastern Europe, has been a casualty of the war in Ukraine. But America heavily imports fertilizers from China, Russia, Canada, and Belarus, all of which have had massive issues in their supply chain.
Crops can go without fertilizers, albeit with repercussions in yield. Ranchers and farmers do not have this luxury. They have to feed their animals, no matter the cost, or the animals will suffer and their business will go under. Sadly, this is not a problem that only large-scale egg production farmers are facing. Backyard chicken farmers have the same issue with feed costs.
This crisis needs honest discussion. President Joe Biden needs to take responsibility for policies that have hurt farmers and consumers. Solutions to the fertilizer crisis, inflation, and the impact of natural disasters need to be debated and better solutions pursued. Sweeping these challenges under the rug solves nothing.
Any farmer will tell you this problem of inflation and feed has been a long time coming. Until now, it’s just been easier to blame the natural outbreak of avian flu and ignore increasing trends in food inflation.
That needs to change.
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Taylor Hunt attends Washington State University and is pursuing a degree in agricultural engineering.
