This update of U.S egg-production costs and prices is provided for the information of producers and stakeholders. Statistical data was unavailable due to the Federal shutdown. Updates will hopefully be available for inclusion in the December edition. September values for production and October cost and  price updates provided by the EIC are included in this review

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS

• October 2025 USDA ex-farm blended USDA nest-run, benchmark price for conventional eggs from caged hens was 117 cents per dozen, down 58 cents per dozen or 33.1 percent from the September 2025 value of 175 cents per dozen. The corresponding October 2023 and 2024 values were respectively $0.80 and $2.87 cents per dozen. For annual comparison, average monthly USDA benchmark price over 2023 was 146 cents per dozen compared to 247 cents per dozen covering 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, as determined by the economy, supply as influenced by re-emergence of HPAI, net imports and the rate of replacement of pullets and hens depleted. 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.
• October 2025 USDA ex-farm negotiated USDA nest-run, benchmark price for all categories of cage-free eggs was 134 cents per dozen, down 13 cents per dozen or 8.8 percent from the September 2025 value of 147 cents per dozen. The corresponding October 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.
• October 2025 USDA average nest-run production cost for conventional eggs from caged flocks over four regions (excluding SW and West), applying updated inputs was 73.8 cents per dozen, down 0.8 cents from September 2025 at 73.8 cents per dozen. The October average nest run production cost for other than caged and certified organic hens was estimated by the EIC to be 93.1 cents per dozen down 0.8 cent per dozen from September. 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.
• October 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for conventional eggs attained a positive value of 43.2 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 100.4 cents per dozen in September 2025. Year to date the average monthly nest-run production margin has attained 271.0 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.
• October 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for all categories of cage-free eggs attained a positive value of 40.9 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 53.1 cents per dozen in September 2025. Year to date the average monthly nest-run production margin has attained 321.1 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.

Since data for October production and September exports was unavailable as of mid-November values for the most recent reported month of August are retained in the following paragraphs.

• 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 September 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 October 2025 costs and unit prices were made available by the EIC on November 7^th 2025. Data is arranged, summarized, tabulated and compared with values from the previous October 13^th 2025 release reflecting September 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 data unavailable  1. From USDA Weekly Shell-egg Demand Indicator

*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.          % October 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:

1. USDA Shell-egg Demand Indicator. November 12^th.

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

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:-

               ( From 2^nd set insert Fig. 1 conventional cost)

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

                                                        117.0 cents per dozen¹- 73.8 cents per dozen = 43.2 cents per dozen         (September 2025 comparison:         175.0 cents per dozen – 74.6 cents per dozen  = 100.4 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!

  (insert Fig 2 Farm egg value, Fig 3 Consumer retail, Fig 4 Estimated quarterly)

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

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

 ( From 3^rd set Insert Fig. 1 Cage free cost)

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

Cage-Free brown     134.0 cents per dozen¹- 93.1 cents per dozen =  40.9 cents per dozen

September 2025:-    147.0 cents per dozen -  93.9 cents per dozen =  53.1 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

(Insert Fig 12  Quarterly CF and organic)

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.