Bird flu is back on egg farms: what it means for your shopping

Will bird flu on egg farms raise egg prices, and what should my pantry do?

USDA data cited by Food Ingredients First show bird flu outbreaks on egg farms in Illinois and California in October 2026. USDA's October outlook still forecasts retail egg prices down 29.3% in 2026 versus 2025. Keeping shelf-stable or powdered eggs as a backup is a simple precaution for your family.

Food Ingredients First reports, citing USDA data, that bird flu has returned to egg farms this fall. The Poultry Site separately reports H5N1 detections in US poultry and dairy cattle this year.

What happened

An Illinois outbreak on October 19 affected 934,600 birds. A California outbreak on October 28 affected about 1.3 million laying hens. USDA's October outlook still forecasts retail egg prices down 29.3% in 2026 compared with 2025.

What it means for your home

The source says the outbreaks are under 0.5% of the table-egg flock. A backup supply is a simple precaution, not a reason for alarm.

What to do this week

Note how many eggs your household uses in a typical week.
Add a small supply of powdered or shelf-stable eggs to your list, and store it in a cool, dry place.
Keep the instructions for using powdered eggs with your pantry.
Cook eggs and poultry all the way through, and avoid raw milk.
Check that your pantry has other protein foods, such as canned beans.

For keeping food safe when the power goes out, read food safety in a power outage.

This briefing is general information, not medical, legal or electrical advice. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.