America’s breakfast staple is under siege. A devastating new forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has sounded the alarm: Egg prices are set to soar by a staggering 41.1% in 2025, a massive increase from the already dire 20% hike predicted in January. The culprit? A relentless surge in bird flu cases that is decimating poultry farms, crippling egg production, and leaving grocery store shelves vulnerable to even higher prices. The crisis is already spiraling out of control—retail egg prices skyrocketed by 13.8% in January alone, following an 8.4% jump in December. Year over year, eggs are now 53% more expensive, hammering consumers who are already stretched thin by inflation. The numbers paint a bleak picture. In January, the average cost of a dozen eggs hit $4.95 nationwide, shattering records and showing no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, the bird flu outbreak has ravaged commercial flocks, with 18.8 million egg-laying hens wiped out in January alone. This devastating loss is crippling supply and sending wholesale prices into a tailspin—jumping $0.40 in just 30 days, according to a separate USDA report released on February 14. The USDA’s grim assessment offers little hope for relief. “Offerings are very light to light with little chance for improvement in the near-term as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to impact productive flocks,” the agency warned. In other words: the worst may still be ahead. While the bird flu has primarily affected poultry, there is an unsettling human element to this crisis as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 70 cases of bird flu in humans, most of them mild, but one person has already died. The victim, a 65-year-old individual with underlying conditions, was exposed to infected backyard poultry and wild birds, raising concerns about potential risks to farm workers and others in close contact with livestock. So, prepare for an eggpocalypse. Prices are soaring, supply is crumbling, and relief is nowhere in sight. With millions of hens lost to the virus and no end in sight, the simple act of making an omelet may soon become even more of a luxury. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)