American Egg Board CEO Emily Metz told Newsmax there are "no quick fixes" to lower egg prices but that a five-point plan by new Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is a good start.
Rollins on Wednesday announced her strategy for combating avian influenza, which includes allocating up to $500 million to help American poultry producers implement gold-standard biosecurity measures, making up to $400 million in financial relief available to farmers whose flocks are affected, examining the use of vaccines and therapeutics for laying hens, rolling back regulations to help lower prices, and potentially importing eggs temporarily.
"America's egg farmers really welcome this swift and decisive action by Secretary Rollins to combat what has been a devastating virus for our farmers," Metz said on "National Report" on Friday. "Truly, they are in the fight of their lives, and this five-point plan is swift, decisive action on behalf of the administration. We really welcome this new plan."
The American Egg Board is "the marketing and demand organization for the American egg industry," which represents more than 420 egg farmers nationwide.
Metz said the avian flu that has caused soaring egg prices and shortages over the past two years "has been devastating" to the farms her organization represents.
"You can't overstate that," she said. "Just since the start of this year, since the start of 2025, we've lost more than 30 million hens and counting. We have not gone a single week with this year without a new farm breaking with HPAI [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza].
"It is deadly, it is devastating, and the impact that you're seeing is a direct result of very, very tight supply and consistently high demand. Americans love eggs. So, we have a supply shortage and high demand and that's why you're seeing the prices you're seeing."
Rollins also said that her department will work with the Department of Government Efficiency to cut wasteful spending and find long-term solutions for bird flu. Metz said her organization is "encouraged" by Rollins' commitment to finding lasting solutions and called her plan "spot on."
"We're going to be in this for a bit of time here, and we know consumers are frustrated," Metz said. "Trust me when I say our farmers are frustrated, too. They believe they were put on this Earth to feed people. They're not able to do that in the same way that they've been able to do that in the past because of this bird flu.
"It's going to take research. It's going to take investment in some new ideas, big ideas, tools in the farmer's toolbox, like vaccines and other things that the secretary referenced in that plan. And it's going to take a bit of time. There's no quick fixes here."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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