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Egg producers in North Carolina lost 3.3 million birds to the bird flu in January

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published February 27, 2025 at 6:57 AM EST
Egg prices jumped more than 15% in January after farmers had to cull millions of laying hens due to avian flu. The rise in grocery prices kept overall inflation elevated.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds
/
AFP via Getty Images
Egg prices jumped more than 15% in January after farmers had to cull millions of laying hens due to avian flu. The rise in grocery prices kept overall inflation elevated.

Commercial egg farmers in North Carolina were among those in several states to lose millions of birds to avian influenza so far this year.

According to an egg market report recently published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, egg producers in North Carolina lost 3.3 million birds to the bird flu in January.

North Carolina is among nine states with bird flu outbreaks confirmed in January and February by the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

If one bird in a flock gets sick, farmers are required to euthanize the entire flock to keep the virus from spreading.

The recent bird flu surge has lead to the eradication of millions of birds, causing egg supply to drop and egg prices in the U.S. to soar.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston