100,000 eggs stolen as prices soar amid U.S. bird flu outbreaks

Boxes of eggs, some of which are broken, are put aside to be returned at East Coast Egg Farmers in North Bergen, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Police south of the border are hoping to crack the case after someone made off with tens of thousands of dollars worth of organic eggs.

A thief or thieves managed to steal approximately 100,000 eggs from a truck parked in Pennsylvania, according to a state police report.

The report filed by the Chambersburg Patrol Unit says the eggs were stolen out of a distribution trailer shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday.

The theft occurred at Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs in Greencastle, Penn., the report says.

“From our family farms to your table,” the company’s website reads. “Find Pete and Gerry’s organic and pasture-raised eggs from healthy hens in a store near you.”

Police estimate the value of the eggs at approximately US$40,000, or about C$57,335 at the current exchange rate. Officers wrote that the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information to reach out.

Bird flu impacting egg prices

The theft comes as farmers across the U.S. are forced to slaughter millions of chickens amid outbreaks of avian flu.

The Associated Press reported last week that the related egg shortage is driving up prices, citing an average in December for a dozen eggs at US$4.15 (nearly C$6). The average is approaching a record set in 2023 of US$4.82 – also linked to bird flu outbreaks, among other factors – and the AP reports that the U.S. Agriculture Department predicts prices to increase another 20 per cent in 2025.

In Canada, the latest Consumer Price Index data suggests the average for a dozen eggs in November was about $4.85, up slightly from an average of $4.66 the previous month, and from $4.65 year-over-year. More recent data was not available from Statistics Canada.

Egg shortages have led some U.S. grocery stores to impose limits on how many cartons shoppers can buy, and some restaurants have increased prices as a result. The chain Waffle House announced Tuesday that it was adding a 50-cent “egg surcharge” for the time being to help cover increasing costs.

Bird flu in Canada

In Canada, the latest updates include subtypes of avian flu spreading into British Columbia and Quebec. A type of the virus found in U.S. cattle has not been found in birds or other animals in Canada, the federal government says.

Data updated Monday suggests there are 47 premises currently dealing with avian influenza outbreaks in Canada.

While avian flu can spread to humans, it is not passed on through food, according to Canadian health officials. The government considers the risk of bird flu to people to be low.

“There is no evidence to suggest that eating cooked poultry or eggs could transmit the virus to humans,” a report titled “Latest bird flu situation” reads. It is typically transmitted by close contact with infected animals or spending time in contaminated areas.

With files from The Associated Press