Bird flu headed east; egg prices continue to rise

It has risen due to restaurants getting their supply from local producers whose stocks of the oval food have quickly shrunk, due to increased demand.

The higher cost of eggs is affecting both restaurants and diners. To date, 48 million turkeys and chickens have died or were euthanized to prevent the virus from spreading further.

The frequency of the new cases is slowing dramatically in the majority of states, though officials in agriculture said last week that a chicken farm in Iowa with over 1 million egg layers had tested positive.

Waitress Laura Haege carries a breakfast to be serve at the Waveland Cafe, Friday, June 19, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa.

In addition, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has projected that egg production will drop 5.3 percent this year, according to The Week.

The cost of one dozen large eggs rose 120 percent at the apex of the crisis, before the avian flu epidemic.

Prices starting falling this past week, but officials said it might take as many as two years to return the farms to normal production.

Iowa, the nation’s egg leader, saw egg production fall 28 percent from year ago and 21 percent in a month as bird flu swept through flocks.

Not just small restaurants are being affected, restaurant chains, which typically have contracts with set prices, have seen those deals be rescinded by suppliers.

Nearly every Le Peep menu item includes eggs.

The uncertainty of how long the shortage will last is what’s most disconcerting for restaurant owners, Rhoads said: “It’s one of those things that, when you don’t know how bad it’s going to get or when the end is in sight”.