New World Screwworm (NWS Cochliomyia hominivorax) has seriously disrupted importation of livestock from Mexico to the U.S., directly impacting the cost of beef to consumers.  The infestation that emerged in Guatemala and spread to and then within Mexico imposes a threat to livestock producers in the U.S. states bordering our southern neighbor. On recognition of the problem surveillance and control measures were initiated emphasizing the need for cooperation among USMCA regulators.

Decades ago, the problem of NWS was resolved by releasing irradiated sterile male flies that effectively suppressed and then eliminated populations of the parasite.  Applying a “mission accomplished” approach without the necessary surveillance by our southern neighbors resulted in an inevitable reoccurrence of infection.  To address the current situation, USDA has reactivated irradiation facilities to produce and distribute sterile male flies that will be effective but over time. 

The USDA has issued a request for proposals to upgrade surveillance and control measures. Projects, even if funded and implemented will not have any immediate impact on the current emergency.  Secretary Rollins is justified in her comment, “We know we have tried-and-true tools and methods that defeat this pest, but we must constantly look for new and better methods and innovate our way to success”.

The lessons that should be heeded include:

• Constant surveillance is necessary for early detection of the parasite
• Irradiation facilities should be maintained with availability of trained personnel to rapidly respond to outbreaks.
• Cooperation with neighboring nations coupled with financial support will ensure that effective surveillance and control measures are maintained.  This is difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of hostility generated by U.S. policies relating to tariffs and immigration that detract from mutual understanding and collaboration.

At the end of the day nature ignores national boundaries and has an immense capacity to adapt to changes in the environment. These include socio-economic factors and global warming that facilitate the northward movement of pests and vectors of pathogens affecting human, animal and avian populations.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is a bellwether on consumer spending and the willingness of customers to purchase food and household items in bulk and splurge on big-ticket items including appliances, electronics and furniture. On February 4^th Costco reported sales for January 2026 covering the four-week period ending February 1^st. Sales attained $21.33 billion, up 9.3 percent from the value of $18.51 billion during the corresponding month in 2026.

Same store sales (excluding fuel and foreign exchange) increased 6.8 percent for the U.S.; 8.2 percent for Canada and 2.7 percent for the International warehouse segment.  Overall, same-stores sales advanced by 6.4 percent and E-commerce was 33.1 percent higher. International sales were impacted by the advent of the Lunar New Year that was 19 days later than in 2025, beyond the January cut-off. Sales in this segment were depressed by an estimated 4 percent.

Costco advanced in after-hours trading on February 4^th after release of the data to $988.50. COST intraday market capitalization was $434.5 billion on February 4^th. The share has traded over a 52-week range of $844.06 to $1078.23.

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates 924 warehouses with 634 in the U.S.; 114 in Canada; 42 in Mexico with the remainder in nine other nations.

The USDA Cage-Free Report covering January 2026, was released on February 2^nd 2026.

The report documented the complement of hens producing under the Certified Organic Program to be 21.0 million (rounded to 0.1 million), up 70,000 hens or 0.3 percent from December 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 2.2 million hens or 1.9 percent from December 2025 to 121.8 million, attributed to expansion, transition from conventional cages and repopulation of depleted flocks.

Extensive depopulation was carried out as a result of HPAI through 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; December, (0.2 million); January (1.5 million) and February (1.4 million).

Average weekly production for Certified Organic eggs in January 2026 was up 1.0 percent percent (rounded) compared to December 2025 with a high average weekly production of 83.9 percent. Average weekly flock production for cage-free flocks other than Certified Organic was up 2.5 percent in January 2026, with a high average hen-month production of 82.6 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.

The categorization of U.S. flocks according to housing system for January was unavailable among the assumed 295 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

 *October and November data was not released to compile Q4 average

On January 2^nd 2026 USDA recorded the following National inventory levels expressed in 30-dozen cases (rounded) with the change from December 2025 as a percentage of the total quantity of eggs:-

Commodity shell eggs of all sizes. 1,395,000. (-3.0%)

Commodity breaking stock. 360,800. (-0.4%)

Specialty eggs. 32,400. (+4.9%)

Certified organic eggs. 81,100. (-4.5%)

Cage-Free eggs 438,600. (-1.1%) equivalent to 1.6 days production

*Essentially a meaningless value

Negotiated nest-run grade-ready cage-free price for January 2026 averaged $0.43 per dozen, down $0.45 per dozen (-51.7 percent) from $0.88 per dozen in December 2025, reflecting a disturbance in balance between demand and supply.

The January 2026 advertised U.S. featured retail price for Large White cage-free eggs over 1,429 ‘Lower 48’ stores in five regions (NW, NE, SW, MW and SC.) was $2.54 per dozen. This compares with 1,657 stores featuring cage-free Large White in December and reflects fewer promotions as the year has progressed, consistent with lower demand and increased production. The January 2026 advertised U.S. featured retail price for Large Brown cage-free eggs over 957 stores in five regions was $3.45 per dozen with a range of $1.99 per dozen in the NW region to $4.08 per dozen in the MW region. The average promotional shelf price was only 2 cents per dozen above December 2025 for this category

The recorded average gradeable nest run price of $0.43 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 $1.03 per dozen delivered to CDs. The average advertised promotional retail prices of $3.45 per dozen for Brown and $1.46 per dozen for white represented retail margins of 235 percent for featured Brown and 146 percent for White respectively. Fewer promotions were offered for Brown compared to White-shelled 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.

Funeral services for the late Dr. Stanley Herbert Kleven were held on Friday January 23^rd.  Dr. Kleven, born June 24, 1940 was associated throughout his career with the University of Georgia Poultry Disease Research Center. 

He was recognized as an international expert in avian mycoplasmosis including detection and control of Mg and Ms.  He was the co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed articles and served as a major professor for 17 doctoral-level graduates and a larger number of students earning the Masters degree. 

Over his distinguished career Dr. Kleven provided leadership in the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Pathologists, the World Veterinary Poultry Association and the National Poultry Improvement Association.  He received the AAAP Special Service Award in 2002 and was inaugural inductee in the Hall of Honor in 2016.

He will be sadly missed for his scientific acumen, collegiality, mentorship and contributions to the industry.

According to a report sponsored by the Private Label Manufacturers Association by market research company Circana, dollar sales for private label products attained $282 billion in calendar 2025.  This was a 3.3 percent increase over the previous year and compares to the growth in national brands of 1.2 percent.

Unit sales of private label brands grew 0.6 percent. In contrast, national brand unit sales fell by an equivalent amount.  The segment with the highest dollar sales among private label products comprised refrigerated items with a 6.1 percent increase followed by beverages at 4.8 percent, frozen items that increased by 2.4 percent and general foods at 1.6 percent.

Peggy Davies, president of the Private Label Manufacturers Association noted a shift in consumer priorities primary based on cost and availability with an appreciation by consumers that private label products offer equivalent quality and health properties compared to national brands.

Notwithstanding the growth in private brands, Eggland’s Best continues to grow in both sales volume and maintains price in a fluctuating market for generic eggs. This is based on substantiated nutritional claims, with health implications and supported by a marketing program incorporating mainstream and social media.

The recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025-2030 discourages consumption of “processed foods”.  The emphasis on protein including eggs is a vindication for our industry that has undergone unjustified criticism over cholesterol content in past decades.

The question now arises as to what constitutes “processed foods.”  Various definitions have been applied but without consideration of the implications for the manufacturers of packaged products.  Applying the broadest descriptor, “processing” includes any alteration of a food from the natural state through heating, pasteurizing, mixing, milling, freezing or canning.  Within reason, these processes are essential to manufacture food products, preserve nutrient quality or to make them available to consumers.  With respect to additives, some preservatives have been shown to be both beneficial and innocuous.  Many ‘unpronounceable additives’ disfavored by purists are in fact nutrients and contribute to or are essential to health.

In a move to reject all additives in pursuit of a clean label, activists motivated by either naïve sincerity or outright mendacity risk throwing out the baby with the bath water.

The following were elected to executive positions on the Board of Directors of USPOULTRY during the 2026 IPPE:

• Bill Griffth, Chief Operations Officer for Peco Foods was selected as the Chairman

• Dr. Alice Johnson of Butterball LLC was elected Vice-chair

• Kevin McDaniel of Wayne-Sanderson Farms as named Treasurer

• John Wright of Fieldale Farms was elected Secretary

• Jonathan Cade of Hy-Line International will serve as the Immediate-past Chairman

In commenting on the slate of officers, Nath Morris president of USPOULTRY stated, “With the
experience and guidance these officers bring to our organization, the future of USPOULTRY is in excellent hands and I look forward to their leadership in helping to shape our organization over the next year.”

After three years of intensive development, Bröring Technology GmbH has introduced their electronic egg that identifies points of potential shell damage in conveying product from nests to graders. The innovation will be demonstrated on Booth B4062

The Bröring electronic egg is unique in providing a real-time color display.  Interaction of the egg with the sides of conveyers, corners, junctions and transition points that result in damage results in activation of LEDs visible through the transparent “shell”.  Surface impacts that could damage shells are denoted by a red color. A green color indicates acceptable, non-damaging force with intermediate shock resulting in an amber display.  This unique visible real-time feature allows observers to rapidly identify problem areas along the conveyer line in order to effect adjustments or repairs. 

The Bröring unit simulates an egg in size and weight and continuously logs stress by time and hence location, registering the intensity of G forces and shocks (jerks, impacts, vibration and acceleration) that can result in invisible but cumulative damage and extending to obvious cracks. Data recording forces in three axes are stored by the egg, to be retrieved and exported to compatible devices using iOS, Android®, Windows®, macOS and iPadOS.

Applications for the U.S. market include:

• Large in-line complexes with up to three million hens can benefit from the Bröring electronic egg. These operations through design and layout have long conveyors from the elevators to the packing plant.  Maintenance teams could justify an electronic egg to regularly monitor alignment of conveyors including corners and junctions where damage occurs.  It is considered justifiable for any in-line aviary or cage complex to own and operate an electronic egg especially with hens  held in as many as ten free-standing cage houses or multi-level units.

• Owners of a number of small complexes that may not exceed  can reduce losses using the Bröring electronic egg. Technical and service personnel can conduct diagnostic or quality-control procedures at monthly intervals or as indicated by an increase in downgrading due to shell cracks.

• Operators of packing plants receiving eggs from contractors can monitor the equipment used by suppliers. On farm equipment including conveyors and farm packers may be defective. In addition the Bröring electronic egg can identify problems in transport and handling during loading on the farm.

• Suppliers of egg conveying installations in the EU use the Bröring electronic egg to certify initial operation during commissioning and thereafter during warranty and service visits.

• Poultry health diagnosticians can use the Bröring electronic egg to investigate high levels of downgrades due to shell cracks with special reference to aviary housing. Data provided by the Bröring electronic egg is frequently combined with the results from the  Bröring Egg Shell Strength instrument to ascertain the causes of shell downgrades.

• Suppliers of grader installations can identify defects in conveying with specific reference to transition to the receiving table.

• Primary breeders, research and educational institutions have applications for the Bröring electronic egg.

To determine the return on investment from the Bröring electronic egg, a landed cost of $3,000 is assumed.  The annual cost of operation including fixed items (depreciation, interest and fixed maintenance) would amount to $810 per year.  The unit cost of an evaluation would depend on frequency of use.  Assuming 24 assays per year, the unit cost would be an inconsequential $35 per survey.

The impact of shell damage can be assessed on an individual farm basis and would depend on production volume and obviously the differential between nest run value for saleable eggs and breaking stock.  Assuming a value for nest run at $1.00 per dozen and breaking stock at $0.70 per dozen, the loss due to a cracked egg would be $0.30 per dozen.  A complex holding one million hens would produce 800,000 eggs per day. For each one percent downgrade, the complex would lose 8,000 potentially salable eggs each day or 666 dozen.  The loss for each one percent of production that cannot be packed would be approximately $200 per day or $73,000 per year.

If the electronic egg can identify defects in the conveying system or in transport or at entry onto the grader at a cost of $30 for the equipment plus the time expended by a technician, and if repairs or adjustments are made, the return is infinite. Improperly designed or installed aviaries and conveying equipment, can result in downgrades due to cracks in excess of five percent of production. This is especially the situation in old flocks and during summer when respiratory alkalosis results in deterioration of shell integrity.  Eggs from older hens and during extremes of temperature are susceptible to shell damage.    Dr.-Ing. Stefan Bröring will be present on Booth B4062 at the IPPE to demonstrate the innovation that is now used extensively in western Europe with benefits for packers, independent producers who are paid on the basis of salable eggs and for larger operations intent on optimizing shell quality and margin.

Click here for video

This update of U.S egg-production costs and available prices is provided for the information of producers and stakeholders. Statistical data was unavailable for October and November due to the Federal shutdown. Most December figures are now available in this January edition. November cost and price updates provided by the EIC are included in this review for trend comparisons.

DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

• December 2025 USDA ex-farm blended USDA nest-run, benchmark price for conventional eggs from caged hens was 122 cents per dozen, down 59 cents per dozen or 32.6 percent from the November 2025 value of 181 cents per dozen. The corresponding December 2023 and 2024 values were respectively $1.56 and $4.24 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 flock placements, incidence of HPAI, net imports and the rate of replacement of depopulated pullets and hens and planned depletion. Other considerations include diversion to shell sales from the egg-breaking sector in an interconnected industry.
• Imports of shell eggs continued during the first three quarters of 2025 with the cumulative negative trade balance attaining 19.9 million dozen shell-equivalents through October. During October the positive trade balance in shell-eggs amounted to 7.7 million dozen. For 2025 through October, U.S. liquid and dried products combined achieved a positive trade balance of 15.9 million case-equivalents with October rising to 5.2 million dozen shell-egg equivalents.
• December 2025 USDA ex-farm negotiated USDA nest-run, benchmark price for all categories of cage-free eggs was 110 cents per dozen. The November 2025 value was 147 cents per dozen. The corresponding December 2023 and 2024 values were respectively 287 and 551 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. A high proportion of available eggs in this category accentuates the upward and downward price trajectory of uncommitted eggs as determined by the price discovery system. Extreme fluctuation is exemplified by high prices prevailing in the 1^st quarter of 2025 and low values during December 2025 and January 2026. The price differential does not reflect relatively small changes in available production or presumed demand.
• The response to highly pathogenic avian influenza as distorted by the price discovery system was the major driver of prices in 2024 and through 2025 due to the high seasonal incidence rates. Approximately 40 million hens and at least 2.0 million pullets were depleted in 2024 with close to an additional 45 million birds, (hens and pullets) in both large complexes and contract farms through 2025. The Fall 2025 losses involved complexes of 3.1 million hens in late September and 2.0 million in early October. During November 570,000 hens producing table eggs were depopulated on 22 farms in close geographic proximity with flock losses averaging 24,000 per event. This suggested the vulnerability of contract producers of cage free eggs with common risk factors including feed supply and egg collection. This trend is a departure from losses involving a few very large complexes evident in the wave of cases during early fall months.
• December 2025 USDA average nest-run production cost for conventional eggs from caged flocks over four regions (excluding SW and West), applying updated inputs was 75.5 cents per dozen, down 0.2 cents from November 2025 at 75.7 cents per dozen as influenced by feed cost. The December average nest run production cost for other than caged and certified organic hens was estimated by the EIC to be 95.1 cents per dozen down 0.2 cents per dozen from November. 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.
• December 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for conventional eggs attained a positive value of 46.5 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 105.3 cents per dozen in November 2025. Year to date the average monthly nest-run production margin has attained 172 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.
• December 2025 USDA benchmark nest-run margin for all categories of cage-free eggs was 14.9 cents per dozen compared to a positive margin of 40.9 cents per dozen in November 2025. Through December the average monthly nest-run production margin attained 293 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 December 2025 national flock (over 30,000 hens per farm) was stated by the USDA to be up by 4.2 million hens (rounded, and a probable undercount) to 290.1 million compared to 285.9 in August. There were approximately 326 million hens 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 January 14^th USDA estimated the total U.S table-egg production flock at 300.0 million with 293.4 million actually in production.
• November 2025 pullet chick hatch of 26.0 million was down 2.7 million (-9.4 percent) from October, inconsistent with an increased industry need to replace depopulated flocks.
• October export data is reviewed in a companion article in this edition. In October 2025 exports of shell-eggs and products combined were up 26.4 percent from September 2025 to 459,200 case equivalents representing the theoretical production of 6.8 million hens. Shell egg exports totaling 162,000 cases were dominated by Canada (80 percent of volume) the “Rest of Americas” including the Caribbean (6 percent). With respect to 297,000 case- equivalents of egg products, importers comprised the E.U (26 percent), Canada (16 percent of volume), “Rest of Americas and the EU (each 20 percent), Japan, (24 percent), Mexico, (7 percent) collectively representing 79 percent of shipments. Volumes exported are based on the needs of importers, competing suppliers, availability in the U.S. and FOB prices offered.
• For 2025 through October the negative trade balance in all shell and derived egg products attained 4.1 million dozen shell equivalents.

TABLES SHOWING KEY PARAMETERS FOR DECEMBER 2025.

Summary tables for the latest USDA December 2025 costs and unit prices were made available by the EIC on January 16^th 2025. Data is arranged, summarized, tabulated and compared with values from the previous December 9^th 2025 release reflecting November 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

1. From USDA Weekly Shell-egg Demand Indicator January 14^th 2026

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

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

Based on a nominal denominator of 300 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.  81.8 % November 2025

*Revised USDA

*Revised, using data from USDA Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook January 16^th 2026 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 DECEMBER 2025:

EGGS BROKEN UNDER FSIS INSPECTION (MILLION CASES) October 2025, 7.03 November 2025, 6.58

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

*Representing 2.2 percent of National production in OCTOBER 2025 comprising 35% shell, 65% products.

COSTS AND UNIT REVENUE VALUES¹ FOR CONVENTIONAL EGGS FROM CAGED HENS

Notes: 1. Excludes SW and West representing an important deficiency 

Components of Production cost per dozen:-

Ex Farm Margin (rounded to nearest cent) according to USDA values reflecting December2025:-

122.0 cents per dozen¹- 75.5 cents per dozen =46.5 cents per dozen (November 2025 comparison: 181.0 cents per dozen – 75.7 cents per dozen = 105.3 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!

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 December 2025:-

Cage-Free brown 110.0 cents per dozen¹- 95.1 cents per dozen =14.9 cents per dozen

November 2025:-  Not disclosed

1. Contract price, nest-run loose. Range 155 to 210 c/doz. Negligible change since July 2024 and totally unrealistic.
2. Negotiated price, loose. Range $0.40 to $1.90 per dozen
3. Estimate based on prevailing costs
4. Unrealistic USDA values based on promotional prices with few participating stores and non-representative of shelf prices

* 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 2026 Peak Exhibition organized by the Midwest Poultry Federation will take place over April 14 through 16 in the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The program will include the progressively-expanding tradeshow incorporating TED talks. Other program activities will comprise educational sessions, entertainment coupled with fellowship and collegial interaction.

Shortly after the emergence of bovine influenza H5N1 it was determined that the virus was sensitive to pasteurization but remained stable in raw milk at 4C for an extensive period.  A recent study* showed that virus demonstrated enhanced thermal stability in milk derived from infected udders compared to milk from noninfected cows subjected to spiking.  Raw milk from infected cows remained infectious for five weeks when stored at 4C with only a two-log reduction in titer. Virus could be detected in stored milk applying PCR assay for up to 22 weeks.

In contrast virus isolates from infected cows when spiked into raw milk from healthy cows yielded virus for only two weeks.  Five other influenza viruses spiked into milk from healthy cows showed a similar rapid decay rate. 

H5N1 virus derived from infected cows showed slightly higher thermal stability in milk compared to spiked samples in milk from noninfected cows.  From a practical standpoint, pasteurization inactivated virus at 63C for five minutes or at 72C for 30 seconds.

The authors noted that milk derived from infected cows could serve as a vehicle of infection as evidenced by the occurrence of clinical symptoms in farm workers contaminated with infected milk. This has obvious implications for disposal of contaminated milk.  The authors could not provide a hypothesis relating to the enhanced thermal stability and persistence of viability in milk from contaminated udders compared to virus in spiked raw milk from non-infected cows.

*  Guan, L. et al Stability of avian influenza (A-H5N1) virus to milk from infected cows and virus-spiked milk N.Engl.J.Med 2025: 393:2271-2273 (2025)

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December 2025 released on January 13th was unchanged from 2.7 percent in November. This said, the accuracy of the monthly figures may have been distorted by the October federal shutdown. The food-at-home category was up 2.4 percent compared to food- away-from home category at 4.1 percent, reflecting escalation in labor, packaging costs and overhead. Cereals and Bakery products were up 1.5 percent. The Meats,  Poultry, Fish + Eggs segment was up 3.9 percent. Within this category, eggs were definitely not a contributor to inflation, given the relatively low wholesale prices that prevailed during December and as compared to 2024. Margins imposed by retailers evidently contributed to unjustified high cost to consumers. As noted, food inflation in December was in excess of the headline CPI. Frozen fish + seafood was up 8.6 percent.

An economist at a major rating agency noted, “Inflation is still uncomfortably high with staples, and necessities remaining elevated. The headline December CPI reading was influenced by a 3.4 percent decline in the price of gasoline. This reflects lower crude prices passed on through the refining infrastructure. Piped gas service was the outstanding increase at 10.8 percent compared to December 2024. This was attributed to high demand during a cold period in relation to regional availability and restraints on distribution. Other categories influencing the CPI included nonalcoholic beverages at 5.1 percent, vehicle maintenance repair (5.4 percent) and tobacco products at 6.8 percent.

Many of the items with a high rate of inflation, including roasted coffee at 17 percent reflect the effect of tariffs that to date have been largely absorbed by importers and distributors. It is possible that goods inflation will become more apparent later in the first quarter of 2026 as predicted in public comments by voting members of the Federal Reserve FOMC. This has implications for establishing interest rates. 

In 1919, Aramark introduced to the U.S. training in aspects of food service for prisoners as an extension of the IN2WORK program. It is estimated that worldwide over the past ten years, as many as 20,000 individuals have received Aramark training in food preparation and presentation. Depending on training and electives, graduates of the program are eligible for a ServSafe Manager certification from the National Restaurant Association or a Certified Specialist Certificate from the National Retail Federation in Supply Chain, Inventory and Logistics.

The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDC) encouraged prisoners to undertake training in food safety and sanitation, nutrition and food preparation leading to certification as a fundamental cook offered by the American Culinary Federation. Training while incarcerated in Kansas has allowed 224 individuals to graduate from the Aramark program allowing rehabilitation and the prospect of becoming a productive member of society after release. Previously the KDC cooperated with a major egg-producer in the state to provide staff for a packing plant. The Hickman operation in Arizona employed prisoners as workers in construction, packing and layer-house operations with benefits to the Company and participants. Many of the workers were offered permanent positions after parole or release. This is an activity that deserves emulation providing there is training, prospects for future employment and without exploitation.

Tim Barttrum president and CEO of Aramark Correctional Services stated “We always look for opportunities to make a difference and IN2WORK does just that. It has been a privilege to see it grow from a feature we offer as an integral part of our mission.”  Since its launch in 1999 IN2WORK has been implemented in 32 states with more than 292 programs and has graduated more than 14,000 students.

Dr. Jarra Jagne received the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service in a ceremony on October 10, 2025.  This award recognizes the contributions of Dr. Jagne to the profession, the College and community.

Dr. Jagne is a native of The Gambia in West Africa and earned her DVM degree at Cornell in 1990. After returning to her home country as a veterinary and project officer she contributed to the advancement of livestock production and especially the economic status of women.

She subsequently returned to the U.S. and completed a residency program at the University of Pennsylvania gaining diplomate status in the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

She was appointed to the Veterinary College at Cornell where she managed the avian diagnostic laboratory and also assisted the then Babcock subsidiary of Hendrix Genetics in management of breeding stock.  She has served as a senior veterinary advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development working on avian influenza.

Activist Watch recently reported on the annual earnings of executives at the two leading U.S. not-for-profit “animal welfare” organizations. 

The top 14 at Humane World for Animals (previously HSUS) collectively earned $4.3 million with an average of $307,000 and a range of $202,000 to $677,000 paid to CEO Kitty Block. 

Among the 14 top ASPCA executives, the collective earnings value was $7.1 million with an average of $507,000 and a range of $328,000 to $1.2 million paid to CEO Matt Bershadker.

In contrast the CEO of the nation’s largest egg producer earned $1.2 million with a relatively low base salary and a supplemental incentive bonus based on performance criteria.  The CEO directs the Company with a market capitalization of $3.8 billion with total assets of $3.1 billion and annual sales exceeding $2.8 billion and a head count of approximately 3,800.  The CEOs of the two non-profits do not reflect the responsibilities, accountability and required experience, training and acumen of CEOs of large agribusiness companies responsible to shareholders.

Genomic sequencing has provided data on the differences in origin of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 isolates affecting flocks in North and South America respectively.  A team based in Argentina in collaboration with colleagues at the University of California, Davis, National Institutes of Health and the Robert Koch Institute in Germany conducted the analyses. It was concluded that H5N1 strains circulating in North America from 2021 onwards represented re-seeding by numerous introductions from Europe and Asia that underwent reassortment with low-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses giving rise to novel genotypes designated B, C and D. It was determined that outbreaks in South America during 2024 were derived from a single introduction of H5N1 virus from North America. 

The South America H5N1 introduction resulted in infection of marine mammals with obvious contagion in a number of species of seals and sea lions.  This was due to the B3.2 virus acquiring mammalian-adaptive polymerase basic mutations (Q591K and D701N) absent in North American H5N1 isolates.

*Vanstrels, R. et al. Avian influenza A (H5N1) virus Argentina, 2025. Emerging Infectious Diseases. doi.org/10.3201/eid3112.250783.

The volume of exports of shell eggs and products is conditioned by the domestic needs of importers, price against competitors and regulatory disease and logistic restraints. Imports are determined by domestic needs with reduced supply due to flock depopulation as the principal driving factor during the first 10 months of 2025.

USAPEEC data reflecting volume of exports for shell eggs and egg products are shown in the table below comparing 2024 with 2025:-

U.S. EXPORTS OF SHELL EGG AND EGG PRODUCTS DURING

JANUARY-OCTOBER INCLUSIVE IN 2025 COMPARED WITH 2024

*The data published by USDA for shell eggs are slightly different from USAPEEC figures included in this table.

For the ten-month period Canada was the export destination of 71.3 percent of U.S. shell eggs followed by the Caribbean at 14.7 percent. For egg products the four major importers collectively comprised 78.4 percent of volume with the relative proportions represented by Japan (28.3%); Canada, (15.7%), Mexico, (16.7%) and the EU, (17.7%).

According to the USDA Egg Markets Overview, January 9^th, shell eggs exported over 10 months attained 50.2 million dozen. This represents the average production of 2.5 million hens or 1.6 percent of the current population of producing hens. All egg products including liquid and dried, attained 54.3 million dozen shell equivalents for a total of 104.5 million dozen shell equivalents over ten months. Imports over the same period comprised 70.1 million dozen shell eggs for breaking and 38.5 million dozen shell egg equivalents over all product forms for a total of 108.7 million dozen shell equivalents

Net trade deficit was therefore 4.2 million dozen shell equivalents

The trade situation during 2026 will be influenced by the needs of importers, a fluid tariff situation, landed price and availability. Since supply has increased in volume with a sharp decrease in domestic price, imports will be curtailed with an expectation of higher exports consistent with a more competitive situation.