As Big Dutchman North America enters a new chapter, President Budd Bentley shares a clear commitment to customers and the industry: “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Clovis Rayzel and honor the legacy of Big Dutchman. So many before me have worked hard to create something truly great, dedicated to serving our customers – farmers. After five and a half years in the industry with Prism Controls, I see four pillars in which we must excel: Engineering, Relationships, Order Fulfillment, and Customer Service. Our team is focused on building competence and excellence in all four complementary activities. We come to work every day proud and focused on the needs of our customers and stakeholders.”

In 2024, Big Dutchman adopted the guiding principle of “Taking action for future generations” to feed the world – an ethic grounded in innovation and teamwork across engineering, sales, logistics, installation, and service. This philosophy is now reflected in how they organize people and resources to optimize customer satisfaction. They listen closely to producers, solving real-world challenges, and delivering durable, high-performing systems with dependable support over the long haul.

Pillar 1: Engineering – Practical innovation that solves real farm problems

Mark Kennedy, recently appointed to lead engineering in North America, is sharpening Big Dutchman’s focus on speed-to-value. Working closely with the core design team in Vechta, Germany, Mark is implementing a Product Development Process (PDP) that adapts proven global designs to meet North American needs, thereby accelerating production and reducing the total cost of ownership. Drawing on deep experience from the U.S. automotive industry, he is prioritizing design improvements, rigorous field evaluations, and upgrades to aviary and floor systems to fit evolving welfare standards. This includes exploring solutions that bridge conventional cages – which still house a significant share of the U.S. flock – and advanced true aviaries offered by Big Dutchman, ensuring customers have practical options for their business goals.

Big Dutchman Natura Step true open aviary

Pillar 2: Relationships – Listening first, always partnering

Big Dutchman’s sales organization is built on trust and long-term partnership. Customer priorities guide their roadmap, and that feedback shapes the solutions that are brought to market. From initial planning through expansion and modernization, Big Dutchman’s teams collaborate closely with integrators, producers, and dealers to ensure systems align with performance targets, welfare outcomes, and ROI. Steve Walcott, Vice President of Sales, Egg Business Unit, underscores this approach: “Our commitment is simple: listen, align, deliver. We connect engineering with customer reality, mapping solutions to goals like flock health or labor efficiency. That’s how we build confidence and repeat success across barns and budgets.”

Steve Walcott VP, Sales meets with customers at regional and national meetings and on farms

Pillar 3: Order Fulfillment – The right parts, in the right sequence, on time

Scott Postma, Vice President overseeing supply chain, operations, logistics, and purchasing, has steered the organization through unprecedented volatility – port congestion, tariff fluctuations, and pandemic-era disruptions. His mandate is straightforward: “Take care of customers.” That means delivering equipment and materials to the correct location, on time, and in the sequence required for rapid, efficient installation. With stabilized service levels and renewed demand for installations, conversions, and upgrades, Scott’s team continues to refine the implementation of projects, enabling producers to stay on schedule and on budget.

Pillar 4: Customer Service – Here for you, anytime, anywhere

Big Dutchman is unique among equipment suppliers in its after-sales consultation and service. Aviary Systems Specialist Erika Prewitt supports customers with hands-on guidance for cage-free barns and aviaries, including stocking plans and best practices to manage flocks. Whether on-site or remote, Erika and the Big Dutchman team of field technicians ensure quality of installation, train crews, and conduct final inspections before handover. Systems start strong and keep performing. Her premise is simple and dependable: “We’re there for you anytime, anywhere.”

Complementing service with practicality, Customer Support leader Al Fox coordinates field technicians and manages spare parts for the long operational life of Big Dutchman systems. He emphasizes the importance of reputable, trained installers – because “bargain” contractors and their shortcuts often lead to higher costs later. When skilled labor is tight or travel is constrained, the Big Dutchman teams step up with remote support, suggested remedial procedures, and quality assurance to ensure completion and allow scheduled placement of flocks.

Customer satisfaction, end-to-end

From engineering rigor and consultative sales to reliable fulfillment and responsive service, Big Dutchman’s four pillars are incorporated into every project and all relationships. Team members work diligently to provide for future generations. Their goal is consistent: to optimize customer satisfaction through delivering solutions that work on the farm – from day one, over a long future.

Big Dutchman North America Headquarters, Holland, MI

This October edition of EGG-NEWS is sponsored by Big Dutchman North America and includes a review of services offered by the Company at a time of transition to a new president.

Unfortunately it was not possible to include reviews on the WASDE or on export data for the month due to the ongoing Federal shutdown. It is hoped that the Congressional impasse will be resolved and that our hardworking USDA employees will soon be able to return to work.

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On October 3^rd the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization released the Food Price Index for Commodities covering September 2025. The FAO recorded a 0.9 point decrease in the revised August 2025 Index to the most recent value of 128.8 points.

 Components of the Index included:-

• The Meat index was up 0.9 points from August to 127.8 points with escalation in prices for beef and mutton representing an all-time high. Prices for pork and chicken were stable during the month. The U.S. Beef supply is constrained by past droughts, intermittent closure of the border with Mexico following outbreaks of New-World Screwworm myiasis and the effect of tariffs on Brazil.
• The Cereal Index in September was down 0.6 points from August to 105.0 due to lower values for wheat, sorghum and rice that were in plentiful supply.
• The Vegetable Oil Index in September was down 1.2 points from August to 167.9 points, although near a three-year high. FAO recorded lower prices for soy and palm oils offset by increases in sunflower and canola oils. Generally there was a decreased world demand for vegetable oils both for human consumption and biodiesel.
• The Dairy Index was down for the third consecutive month by 2.6 points from August to 148.3 with increased availability

Given the fluid state of tariffs, U.S. exports of corn and soybeans will be constrained during the current and subsequent market year notwithstanding USDA projections.  Traditional importers of U.S. agricultural commodities will be evaluating competitive prices from Argentine and Brazil offering greater availability and lower landed costs compared to the U.S. This will be to the advantage of domestic poultry and hog producers.

This update of U.S egg-production statistics, costs and prices is provided for the information of producers and stakeholders

SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

• September 2025 USDA ex-farm blended USDA nest-run, benchmark price for conventional eggs from caged hens was 175 cents per dozen, down 41 cents per dozen or 19.0 percent from the August 2025 value of 216 cents per dozen. The corresponding September 2023 and 2024 values were respectively $0.96 and $3.33 cents per dozen. For annual comparison, average monthly USDA benchmark price over 2023 was 146 cents per dozen and 247 cents per dozen for 2024. Stock levels and prices prior to the onset of flock depletions due to HPAI indicated a relative seasonal balance between supply and demand. Future nest-run and wholesale prices will be largely dependent on consumer demand for shell eggs and products, re-emergence of HPAI, net imports and the rate of replacement of pullets and hens depleted due to HPAI. Other considerations include diversion to shell sales from the egg-breaking sector in an interconnected industry. Imports declined sharply during the past quarter although the U.S. ran a negative trade balance through July.
• September 2025 USDA ex-farm negotiated USDA nest-run, benchmark price for all categories of cage-free eggs was 147 cents per dozen, down 76 cents per dozen or 34.1 percent from the August 2025 value of 223 cents per dozen. The corresponding September 2023 and 2024 values were respectively 120 and 208 cents per dozen.
• Fluctuation in wholesale price is attributed in part to the amplification of upward and downward swings associated with the commercial benchmark price-discovery system in use. An important factor influencing pricing is the proportion of shell eggs supplied under cost-plus contracts accentuating the upward and downward price trajectory of uncommitted eggs as determined by the price discovery system. Highly pathogenic avian influenza was the major driver of price in 2024 and through Q1 of 2025 due to the high incidence rate. Approximately 40 million hens and at least 2.0 million pullets were depleted in 2024 with close to an additional 36 million birds, (hens and pullets) in 35 complexes or farms through mid-May 2025. The Fall 2025 losses involved two complexes of 3.1 million hens in late September and 2.0 million in early October.
• September 2025 USDA average nest-run production cost for conventional eggs from caged flocks over four regions (excluding SW and West), applying updated inputs was 74.6 cents per dozen, up 0.9 cents from August 2025 at 73.7 cents per dozen. The September average nest run production cost for other than caged and certified organic hens was estimated by the EIC to be 93.9 cents per dozen up 1.7 cent per dozen from August. Approximately 60 cents per dozen should be added to the USDA benchmark nest-run costs to cover processing, packing material and transport to establish a realistic cost value as delivered to warehouses.
• September 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for conventional eggs attained a positive value of 100.4 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 142.9 cents per dozen in August 2025. Year to date the average monthly nest-run production margin has attained 296.3 cents per dozen. Average nest-run monthly margin for 2024 was 170.8 cents per dozen compared to 64.2 cents per dozen in 2023 and 155 cents in 2022.
• September 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for all categories of cage-free eggs attained a positive value of 53.1 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 130.8 cents per dozen in August 2025. Year to date the average monthly nest-run production margin has attained 352.2 cents per dozen. Average nest-run monthly margin over 2024 was 440 cents per dozen compared with 100 cents per dozen in 2023, relatively unaffected by HPAI compared to the preceding and following years.
• The August 2025 national flock (over 30,000 hens per farm) was stated by the USDA to be up by 6.6 million hens (rounded, and a probable undercount) to 285.9 million compared to approximately 326 million before the advent of the H5N1 epornitic of HPAI in 2022. Approximately 3.5 million hens returned to production from molt during the month together with projected maturation of 23 million pullets, with the total offset by depletion of an unknown number of spent hens. On October 8^th USDA estimated the total U.S table-egg production flock at 304.5 million with 298.1 million actually in production.
• August 2025 pullet chick hatch of 28.7 million was down 0.4 million (-1.4 percent) from July 2025 but inconsistent with an increased industry need to replace depopulated flocks.
• August export data will be released after resumption of Federal activities. In July 2025 exports of shell eggs and products combined were up 27.1 percent from June 2025 to 376,600 case equivalents representing the theoretical production of 5.6 million hens. Shell egg exports totaling 72,000 cases were dominated by Canada (38 percent of volume) the “Rest of Americas” including the Caribbean (40 percent). With respect to 304,000 case equivalents of egg products, importers comprised Canada (32 percent of volume), “Rest of Americas and the EU (each 20 percent), Japan, (12 percent), Mexico, (8 percent) collectively representing 98 percent of shipments. Volumes exported are based on the needs of importers, competing suppliers, availability in the U.S. and FOB prices offered.          
• According to the USDA Egg Market Overview released on September 8^th, all egg imports (shell, liquid and dry) in July attained 19.5 million dozen shell equivalents compared to exports of all categories of 11.2 million dozen shell equivalents.
• For 2025 through July the negative trade balance in all shell and derived egg products attained 15.5 million dozen shell equivalents.

TABLES SHOWING KEY PARAMETERS FOR SEPTEMBER 2025.

Summary tables for the latest USDA September 2025 flock statistics, costs and unit prices were made available by the EIC on October 13^th 2025. Data is arranged, summarized, tabulated and compared with values from the previous September 12^th 2025 release reflecting August 2025 costs and production data, as revised and applicable. Monthly comparisons of production data and costs are based on revised USDA and EIC values.

VOLUMES OF PRODUCTION REFLECTING THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY                                                                                   

*USDA Revised

*Revised USDA/EIC Note 1. Texas excluded to maintain confidentiality

PROPORTION OF U.S. TOTAL HENS BY STATE, 2025                                                                   

Based on a nominal denominator of 285 million hens in flocks over 30,000 covering 95 percent of the U.S complement.

USDA has amended inclusion of specific states in regions and eliminated Texas data to protect confidentiality of Company flock

Sizes

1. Values rounded to 0.1% 

Rate of Lay, weighted hen-month (USDA)   81.5 September 2025.    82.1% August 2025

*Revised USDA

*Revised, using data from USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook September 18^th 2025 taking into account demand from the food service sector and presumably including the effect of HPAI depopulation and net importation.

EGG INVENTORIES AT BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER 2025:

EGGS BROKEN UNDER FSIS INSPECTION (MILLION CASES)   AUGUST 2025, 7.03     JULY 2025, 6.94 

Export and import data for August was not released due to Federal shutdown.

EXPORTS JULY 2025: (Expressed as shell-equivalent cases of 360 eggs).

*Representing 1.8 percent of National production in JULY 2025 (0.4% shell, 1.4% products).                    

COSTS AND UNIT REVENUE VALUES¹ FOR CONVENTIONAL EGGS FROM CAGED HENS

Notes:   1. Excludes SW and West 

Components of Production cost per dozen:-

Ex Farm Margin (rounded to nearest cent) according to USDA values reflecting September 2025:-

                                                        175.0 cents per dozen¹- 74.6 cents per dozen = 100.4 cents per dozen         (August 2025 comparison:         216.0 cents per dozen – 73.1 cents per dozen  = 142.9 cents per dozen.

Note 1:  USDA Blended nest-run egg price

1. Unrealistic USDA values based on advertised promotional prices with few participating stores, non-representative of shelf prices!

Caged hens depopulated for HPAI attained 3.1 million on a complex in WI. during September

AVERAGE COSTS AND UNIT REVENUE FOR EGGS FROM CAGE-FREE HENS

Components of Production cost for cage-free eggs, per dozen:-

Ex Farm Margin (rounded to cent) according to USDA values reflecting negotiated price for SEPTEMBER 2025:-

Cage-Free brown     147.0 cents per dozen¹- 93.9 cents per dozen =  53.1 cents per dozen

August 2025:-           223.0 cents per dozen -  92.2 cents per dozen =  130.8 cents per dozen  

 1.       Contract price, nest-run loose. Range 155 to 210 c/doz. Negligible change since July 2024 and totally unrealistic.

1. Negotiated price, loose. Range $1.20 to $2.60 per dozen
2. Estimate based on prevailing costs
3. Unrealistic USDA values based on promotional prices with few participating stores and non-representative of shelf prices

Cage-Free HPAI losses 2.0 million during October on WA complex

* Conventional (non-organic) feed

Feed prices used are the average national and regional values for caged flocks. Excludes organic feeds with prices substantially higher than conventional.

The following production data was summarized from the September 22^nd 2025 edition of the USDA Chickens and Eggs-:

• August 2025 pullet hatch, 28.7 million, up 5 percent from August 2024.
• January to August 2025 cumulative pullet hatch, 236.7 million, up 8 percent from the corresponding months of 2025
• September 1^st 2025 egg-type hatching eggs in incubators, 55.0 million, up 12 percent from September1^st 2024
• September 2025 pullets placed, 27.6 million, up 12 percent from September 2024.
• September 2025 pullets undergoing rearing, 140.3 million, up 8 percent from September 2024.
• September 1^st 2025 hen population 301.4 million, down 1 percent from September 1^st 2024.
• August 2025 table eggs produced, 7,586 billion, down 2.2 percent from June 2024.
• September 2025 hens in molt, 2.1% of flock, up 17 percent from September 2024.
• September 1^st 2025 hens completed molt, 9.8% of flock, down 4 percent from September 1^st 2024.
• August 2025 disposal by slaughter, 11.5 million, down 21 percent from August 2024
• August 2025 disposal by rendering, composting or death, 8.9 million, down 13 percent from August 2024.

The take-away from data in the September release is the steady replacement of the national flock that was reduced by depopulation of 39 million hens during the first five months of 2025. It is probable that the quantum of replacements will be consistent with anticipated demand, hopefully avoiding oversupply and depressed prices as recorded in 2016 and early 2023. If mortality due to HPAI continues over the 5 million hens lost in September and October, coincident with the fall migration of waterfowl or if extension of infection from dairy herds occurs, the size of the national flock will be adversely impacted with implications for retail price.