The USDA Cage-Free Report covering December 2025, was released on January 2^nd 2026, the first edition since October 1^st 2025 covering September

The report documented the complement of hens producing under the Certified Organic Program to be 20.9 million (rounded to 0.1 million), up 0.9 million hens or 4.5 percent since September 2025. The number of hens classified as cage-free (but excluding Certified Organic) and comprising aviary, barn and other systems of housing apparently increased by 2.9 million hens or 2.7 percent from September 2025 to 119.5 million, attributed to expansion, transition from conventional cages and repopulation of depleted flocks.

Extensive depopulation was carried out as a result of HPAI through the fourth quarter of 2024 and continuing in January and February 2025 (31 million), but with lower intensity in March (0.2 million) and April (1.0 million) and a single large complex in Arizona during May (3.8 million). Losses reemerged during late September in a caged-bird complex in Wisconsin (3.1 million hens and 250,000 pullets). Additional depopulations occurred in October, (2.2 million); November, 0.5 million and December, (0.2 million).

Average weekly production for Certified Organic eggs in December 2025 was up 5.1 percent percent (rounded) compared to September 2025 with a high average weekly production of 83.3 percent. Average weekly flock production for cage-free flocks other than Certified Organic was up 2.7 percent in December 2025, with a high average hen-month production of 82.1 percent. Seasonally placed flocks in anticipation of periods of peak demand increase the availability of cage-free and organic eggs, reflecting pullet chick placements 20 weeks previously.

There is no adequate explanation for the elevated production rates recorded other than the high proportion of young hens reaching peak placed in anticipation of December demand. It is also assumed that almost all cage free flocks are in the first cycle of production with negligible molting contributing to the high average in hen-week values compared to caged hens.

Due to the Federal shutdown and temporary cessation of the USDA Egg Markets Overview and available data from the weekly USDA Shell Egg Demand Indicator, the categorization of U.S. flocks according to housing system for December was unavailable among the assumed 290 million producing hens. The breakdown will be provided when data is released.

Losses attributed to HPAI in 2025 comprised:-

Caged flocks, 24.8 million representing 8.4 percent of a nominal 290 million producing hens

Cage-free flocks, 17.6 million representing 5.9 percent of the national flock

Organic flocks, negligible, >0.1 percent

On December 29^th USDA recorded the following National inventory levels expressed in 30-dozen cases (rounded) with the change from September as a percentage of the total quantity of eggs:-

Commodity shell eggs of all sizes. 1,516,800. (-2.7%)

Commodity breaking stock. 404,100. (+17.5%)

Specialty eggs. 45,500. (+16.3%)

Certified organic eggs. 86,900. (-2.6%)

Cage-Free eggs 425,700. (-3.0%) equivalent to 1.5 days production

*Essentially a meaningless value

Negotiated nest-run grade-ready cage-free price for December 2025 averaged $0.88 per dozen, down $0.59 per dozen (-40.1 percent) from $1.47 per dozen in September 2025, reflecting a disturbance in balance between demand and supply.

The December 2025 advertised U.S. featured retail price for Large White cage-free eggs over 1,646 ‘Lower 48’ stores in six regions (NW, NE, SE, SW, MW and SC.) was $2.63 per dozen. This compares with 1,182 stores featuring cage-free Large White in September and reflects more promotions as the year has progressed, consistent with lower demand and increased production. The Decenber 2025 advertised U.S. featured retail price for Large Brown cage-free eggs over 2,819 stores in six regions was $3.43 per dozen with a range of $2.50 per dozen in the SC region to $4.09 per dozen in the SW region. The average promotional shelf price was only 3 cents per dozen above September for this category

The recorded average gradeable nest run price of $0.88 per dozen for brown and white cage-free combined plus a provision of $0.60 cents per dozen for packaging, packing and transport, resulted in a theoretical price of $1.48 per dozen delivered to CDs. The average advertised promotional retail prices of $3.43 per dozen for Brown and $2.63 per dozen for white represented retail margins of 131 percent for featured Brown and 77 percent for White respectively. Fewer promotions were offered for White compared to Brown cage-free by stores reflecting the balance between supply and demand for the two broad categories. Margins are presumed higher for non-featured eggs including pastured and other specialty eggs at shelf prices attaining in excess of $8.00 per dozen in high-end supermarket chains. Retailers are maximizing margins especially on Certified Organic, free-range and pastured categories restricting the volumes of sales, of all categories ultimately disadvantageous to producers and consumers.