by Amy Furr
Breitbart.com
Americans may find it hard to get eggs this holiday season because of bird flu outbreaks and the economy.
There has been a shortage of eggs in some stores across the nation, CBS News reported on Friday, noting the businesses in states that require eggs from cage-free hens have been affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
“More than 40% of the nation’s roughly 300 million egg-laying hens are raised in cage-free facilities, but roughly 60% of ‘bird flu’ cases recently detected involved cage-free farms,” the report continued. There have been outbreaks recently in Utah, Oregon, California, and Washington, per Emily Metz, who is the chief executive and president of the American Egg Board.
She added that the reports of shortages are coming from grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Meanwhile, shortages related to the virus have caused egg prices to rise, and experts predict the cost may remain high into 2025.