Georgia Lifts Poultry Ban as Bird Flu Crisis Leads to Nationwide Egg Shortages
As bird flu ravaged U.S. farms, wiping out 23 million birds in January 2025, Georgia officials ended their statewide ban on poultry shows. The impact has been devastating. Since December…
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the recent breakout of bird flu is to blame for a shortage of eggs and a sharp uptick in egg prices in the U.S.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesAs bird flu ravaged U.S. farms, wiping out 23 million birds in January 2025, Georgia officials ended their statewide ban on poultry shows.
The impact has been devastating. Since December 2024, farms lost 13 million hens through death or necessary culling, causing widespread egg shortages and strict buying limits.
Small bakeries have been hit hard by these limits. “Eggs have hit the hardest with a nearly 50% increase and the stores are limiting purchases, so we're now having to make multiple trips to the grocery stores in a week,” Kelsie Mellott, owner of Hey Honey! Cakery, told WRDW.
Stores rushed to handle shrinking supplies. Sam's Club now limits purchases to two cartons, Publix and Trader Joe's allow just one dozen, while Kroger and Aldi let customers buy two dozen. Whole Foods and some Costco locations extend the limit to three dozen per visit.
