California is grappling with a severe bird flu outbreak in 2024, leading to significant egg shortages for the second consecutive year and causing price instability in stores. The California Poultry Federation has labeled this year as the state’s most significant bout with bird flu.
The repercussions of the bird flu have been felt intensely by farmers in regions like Sonoma County and the Bay Area, resulting in noticeable shortages on retail shelves. Bill Mattos, the president of the California Poultry Federation, shared concerning statistics, stating, “We’ve lost over three million layer chickens, lots of ducks, and a million chickens for meat already.” The Central Valley, a vital agricultural region, bore the brunt of the outbreak, with approximately one and a half million egg-laying chickens lost in less than six weeks.
Despite the grim situation in the Central Valley, Mattos remains cautiously optimistic about the Sacramento area’s egg supply in the upcoming months. He anticipates stabilization as the market adjusts to the ongoing challenges.
One of the most affected regions, the Central Valley, suffered extensively due to the transmission of the virus by ducks. When such outbreaks occur, the U.S. Department of Agriculture steps in to assist farmers with quarantine measures and associated costs. However, for poultry farmers like Ken Mitchell, the support does not fully mitigate the challenges. Mitchell emphasized the financial strain, noting, “The biggest thing is the downtime. You could be out four to six months. If you don’t have birds, you aren’t making money.”
Looking ahead, the California Poultry Federation foresees a temporary rise in egg prices in the coming month. However, they remain hopeful that prices will stabilize once the bird flu situation is brought under control.
Highlighting the widespread nature of the outbreak, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported instances of bird flu in various wildlife species in Northern California, including a bobcat, two fisheries, two mountain lions, and a raccoon.
