Taylor University is paying 125% more for eggs compared to last semester, Sean Wojtkowski, resident director of AVI Foodsystems, said.
“We have stopped purchasing hard-boiled eggs and eggs specific to certain areas,” Wojtkowski said. “We are keeping our commitment of fresh eggs for the creation station.”
Egg prices have increased due to the H5 Bird Flu, or the avian influenza, which has spread throughout the U.S., impacting local businesses and consumers.
Most people have heard about the bird flu in the last couple months, Robert Jackson, director of Grant County emergency management, said. The virus is prevalent in the Midwest, especially in Grant County.
The Indiana Board of Animal Health requested each county develop a plan to deal with the outbreak which Jackson shared at Grant County’s Commissioners meeting on March 3.
The Grant County emergency management was contacted last week and met for a district meeting. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health gave updates on recent happenings — the bird flu being high on that list.
Grant County does not have any large poultry operations, Jackson said. However, many people have backyard flocks which is where there have been issues and risk, and the virus is extremely contagious.
It’s important for people to report signs of their flocks having sickness, he said. That way, Grant County emergency management can track where the virus might be spreading and take steps to mitigate it, Jackson said.
“There have already been cases where (the bird flu) has transferred into other livestock — pigs, cows and even in rare cases, humans can contract the avian flu,” Jackson said. “It's very rare, but when it does happen, it's extremely dangerous, and it's really a hard virus to treat in humans. So there again, a little education goes a long way for people…”
If owners notice their livestock is sick, they need to be diligent, wash their clothes and take steps to protect themselves, he said.
The virus can spread through the water, feed or even by contaminated clothing. Many farms are taking measures towards biosecurity to prevent the spread of sickness.
A recent study, conducted by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, shows how bird flu can be transmitted by the wind. A wind-borne viral infection. This poses a different threat and a reason to rethink containment strategies.
At Deja Brew Espresso Bar in Hartford City, owner Gordon Jackson said at least half a dozen of the menu items contain eggs. He said buying eggs costs about 500% more. The menu items containing eggs increased by 50 cents.
“It's not a lot, but I divide the overall cost into the cost of the product,” Jackson said. “It's not like you're paying 400% more for the finished product.”
It’s harder on the consumer, he said.
However, the 50-cent increase hasn’t hindered the amount of customers walking through Deja Brew Espresso Bar’s doors, he said.
Customers may wonder if having eggs for breakfast remains safe as the H5N1 virus is mutating fast.
Maurice Ernest Pitesky, associate professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and an expert in disease modeling for avian flu, believed humans have a greater risk of getting salmonella from eggs than the bird flu.
“I’d worry more about salmonella than I would about getting avian flu from table eggs,” he said.
Even so, it is safe to consume eggs because when a case of bird flu is detected on a farm, egg production and sales are halted.
This halting of production and sales is why the price of eggs has increased. There is a smaller pool of egg suppliers. More demand and less supply contribute to the 20% egg price increase within this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
If signs of sickness can be seen in poultry and livestock, you can report to USDA at 1-866-536-7593.
Additional resource: Avian Influenza | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
