Lower Egg Prices Likely Following Easter

Biosecurity

Protecting flock health for commercial and backyard flocks is paramount, Christjohn said, noting the importance of biosecurity.

It’s particularly critical on commercial farms, Haynes said. While HPAI leads to increased biosecurity efforts, restricting contact with flocks is standard for poultry farms.

“We limit farm visitors and have a sanitization process poultry house employees go through before entering houses,” Haynes said. “And those workers stay separate from processing employees.”

Haynes said HPAI seems to spike during wild birds’ peak migration seasons of spring and fall. The uncertainty is concerning, but supply is still trending upward.

“HPAI is still out there, and that’s the question — Where does it go from here?” he said. “If we don’t have any more issues, things should start to improve after Easter.”