All eggs sold in Arizona now have to meet expanded requirements, which some say could affect the prices people pay at the grocery store.
Arizona, USA — Like many other groceries, egg prices are rising in Arizona. Egg prices are up 49.1% from November 2021 to November 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the latest data available.
Experts believe there are a variety of factors contributing to the country-wide rise, including inflation and bird flu. However, be aware that Arizona may have additional factors as well. A new regulation for eggs sold in the state.
Bird flu and eggs for sale in Arizona
For months, experts have pointed out how bird flu impacted egg prices across the United States.
Millions of birds have been lost to the disease nationwide, According to the CDC.
Arizona has reported only two small outbreaks. by CDCthey left Yavapai County in November.
Still, about half of the eggs sold in Arizona come from out of state, says Jerome Rosa, associate director of animal services for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Producers are producing enough eggs to meet the state’s egg demand, but some of those eggs are shipped out of state and even out of the country, he added.
Chelsea McGuire, director of government relations for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, said bird flu cannot be ignored when looking at current egg prices in Arizona.
“It’s caused the depopulation of many commercial flocks across the country, which means there’s been less egg supply,” McGuire said.
In addition to bird flu, Maguire blames inflation in general for rising egg prices.
“Look at all it took to get it from the field to the grocery store. Everything got more expensive. And that’s what we’re seeing now,” McGuire said. .
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new state regulation
Last year, the Arizona Governor’s Regulatory Review Council Approved New regulations on eggs sold in Arizona.
Eggs sold in Arizona today require about twice as much room for egg-producing hens. The new regulation came into force on January 1, 2023.
Hens now need a total of 144 inches (1 square foot) of space in their cages to produce eggs that will be sold in Arizona grocery stores. This is an increase from the previously allowed 67 inches of space. Essentially, it cuts in half the number of chickens producers can have in their space.
Coming in January 2023, the regulation will be expanded to a “cage-free” standard. This is because Rosa says the space per chicken in the barn is the same as he is one square foot, but without the cage itself.
The Arizona Department of Agriculture opposed the new regulations before the Arizona Governor’s Regulatory Review Council.
“That’s how we’re going to limit supply. So if you’re limiting the types of eggs you can bring in, you don’t have the capacity to address some of the supply crises and supply shocks in the system. It’s our state.” said McGuire.
Reason for change
The change was supposed to go into effect in October, but was delayed due to bird flu.
“This is what consumers wanted, and Congress has ordered us to do this. It meets national standards,” Rosa said.
Arizona was designated the 10th state to transition to cage-free egg production.
So far, egg producers in and out of the state are working to comply with the new rules, Rosa said. Rosa said out-of-state producers must sign an affidavit stating they are in compliance.
For the estimated cost of the change, State Cited Studies estimate the average cost of changing to cage-free production at about 2 cents per egg, or 23 cents per dozen.
“That’s about $5 a year for the average consumer, but that’s what consumers wanted,” says Rosa.
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