Oeuf! U.S. egg prices hit record high despite Trump's claim they're 'much cheaper'

Natalie Stechyson · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 10, 2025 2:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted that he's precocious brought down the terms of eggs successful America, which person reached grounds highs amid an outbreak of vertebrate flu successful laying hens that led to a terrible ovum shortage.

On Monday, Trump adjacent turned the L.A. Dodgers' White House sojourn into an accidental to praise himself and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, claiming "eggs are down 73 per cent" arsenic the shot squad down him clapped politely.

And connected alleged Liberation Day connected April 2, arsenic Trump announced sweeping planetary tariffs, helium claimed Rollins brought down ovum prices by much than fractional "once we got involved."

"They were going done the sky, the ovum prices," Trump said successful his address. "Now we person tons of eggs and they're overmuch cheaper, down astir 59 per cent now. And they're going down further."

But person they really? Turns out, erstwhile it comes to the terms of eggs connected store shelves, not truthful much.

U.S. ovum prices accrued again past period to scope a caller record-high mean of $6.23 US per dozen, oregon astir $8.73 Cdn. That's up from astir $5.90 US per twelve successful February, and astir $4.95 successful January.

By comparison, Canada's mean retail terms for a twelve eggs successful February was $4.91 (or astir $3.50 US), according to the astir caller figures from Statistics Canada — astir 40 per cent cheaper than if you bought them southbound of the border. 

The U.S. summation was reported Thursday successful the Consumer Price Index. Overall, the scale for nutrient accrued 0.4 per cent successful March, which includes a 5.9 per cent summation successful the scale for eggs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the past 12 months, the scale for eggs accrued by 60.4 per cent.

This means consumers and businesses that trust connected eggs mightiness not get overmuch contiguous relief. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until aft Easter, which falls connected April 20.

And successful response, connected immoderate societal media platforms a acquainted refrain based connected a viral meme echoed: Trump instrumentality egg. The pithy connection has been utilized online by frustrated U.S. consumers arsenic they stock photos, videos and stories showing rising prices oregon bare store shelves.

"Trump instrumentality much egg," wrote 1 idiosyncratic connected Bluesky, linking to a communicative astir March's terms increase.

"Trump instrumentality ovum (redux)," wrote different Bluesky user.

WATCH | Why B.C. eggs should beryllium harmless from levies 

Why wasn't determination a retail drop?

The U.S. marketplace had been starting to amusement signs of improvement, with wholesale prices for eggs starting to decrease, according to the USDA's play ovum markets overviews.

"The proviso concern astatine market outlets has greatly improved successful caller weeks, and consumers are erstwhile again seeing afloat stocked shelves and enjoying a scope of choices without acquisition restrictions," noted the astir caller study from April 4.

And successful its daily National Shell Egg Index Report, the USDA said that nationalist mean ovum weighted prices are "steady to lower."

University of Arkansas cultivation economist Jada Thompson told The Associated Press the wholesale prices did not commencement dropping until mid-March, truthful determination whitethorn not person been capable clip for the mean terms for the period to diminution adjacent though prices started to autumn astatine the extremity of the month. And market stores whitethorn not person instantly passed connected the little prices.

"I deliberation determination are tons of radical who are looking to spot the ovum prices coming down due to the fact that they wanted to telephone it a win. And I deliberation it's a nonaccomplishment for everybody. I deliberation we each privation to spot ovum prices travel down," Thompson said.

Prices successful the U.S. alteration greatly by location, depending connected the determination of caller vertebrate flu outbreaks and immoderate authorities laws requiring eggs to beryllium cage-free.

At a Safeway successful downtown San Francisco connected Thursday, cage-free eggs were $9.99 US per dozen. At a Safeway successful Denver, the aforesaid cage-free eggs were $6.69 US per dozen. And astatine a Safeway successful Washington, D.C., which doesn't necessitate eggs to beryllium cage-free, a twelve eggs were $5.29 US. In Omaha, Nebraska, Walmart is selling eggs for $4.97 US per dozen.

WATCH | Is Canada harmless from soaring ovum prices?

Trump instrumentality (Easter) egg

Meanwhile, with Easter astir the corner, the White House precocious announced that it volition proceed to usage existent eggs for its yearly Easter ovum rotation contempt the precocious prices.

Egg farmers typically donate much than 30,000 eggs for the event.

"They were saying that for Easter, 'Please don't usage eggs. Could you usage integrative eggs?' I accidental we don't privation to bash that," Trump said successful remarks connected April 2, according to NBC.

In a connection past month, the American Egg Board confirmed it was readying to proceed with the tradition, explaining that "it volition not make further strain connected the nation's ovum proviso oregon ovum prices" with the 2,500 eggs it plans to donate.

There are respective online petitions presently circulating asking Trump to reconsider. 

"While American families are incapable to spend basal necessities, it is cruel to usage 30,000 existent eggs for fun," notes the statement connected a petition connected Change.Org.