Consumers concerned about the cost of eggs had another shock last week as dozens of birds suspected of dying from the avian flu have turned up on the South Shore. The deaths come as a nationwide outbreak has driven the price to around $9 per dozen on Long Island. The virus hit close to home when 100,000 ducks had to be destroyed at the Crescent farm in Aquebogue.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation warns people to avoid contact with bird carcasses as the avian disorder could spread to humans. The department fielded reports of about two dozen ducks, geese, and shorebirds in East Patchogue and a few more along the ocean beaches. The viruses are considered highly pathogenic and can spread quickly in affected flocks. Containing the flu in the wild population is difficult, given a bird’s ability to fly to different locations.
The bird flu has caught the attention of the White House, which pledged $1 billion to combat the outbreak and make eggs more affordable. “We are working with the Department of Government Efficiency to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of wasteful spending and will repurpose some of those dollars by investing in long-term solutions to avian flu, said Brooke Rollins, the secretary of Agriculture. The virus has resulted in about 166 million laying hens being culled since 2022, Rollins reported.
According to Sherman Miller, CEO of Cal Maine Foods, the nation’s largest producer and distributor of fresh eggs in the U.S. the avian flu has hit the industry very hard. "It takes one chicken for every person in the U.S. to have ample supply and we're at about a 50 million bird deficit," Miller said.
While the virus can be lethal to the avian population, The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention deems it a low risk to the public.
Shortly after the Crescent farm culling, Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered live bird markets closed in New York City and Long Island. They have slowly reopened under the watchful eye of the Department of Agriculture.
Locally, diners and restaurants have been holding tight on raising prices for their egg dishes, hoping that the problem will get under control before they pass the higher costs on to their customers. Once selling for about $2 per dozen, egg pieces on Long Island have soared to about $9 per dozen, depending on the size.