written by the Bone In Food Team
AVIAN FLU
As many of you are all probably aware, there is a significant egg shortage running rampant in this country due to Avian Flu forcing large chicken egg manufacturers (We’ll never call them farmers) across the country having to kill off their flocks. Our message is not to instill fear in you as the Avian Flu Virus has been around and evolving (keyword here) since the start of life, or for as long as humans are capable of detecting, but instead we just want our supporters to understand how it impacts your local chicken egg farming community.
The only flocks really being disturbed are those flocks that are in confinement with hundreds of thousands of other birds. The flocks are getting culled and NOT for the safety of the people, but because the insurance and economic incentives are far greater than taking the risk of raising hundreds of thousands of birds to have them die off or have limited egg production. Keep in mind, none of our farmers’ flocks have been affected by this, well, because they are outside and not trapped indoors inhaling recycled air and stepping on each other.
DEEP FREEZE TEMPS
All egg layer chickens in colder months must put all their energy towards molting and keeping warm. Utilizing all of their food source for this energy and limiting their production of eggs. It’s a survival instinct and why egg production drops by almost 30% for all farmers in the Winter. This year, because of how cold it has been, has increased this limit in production by almost 50% which is significant in a small food system. Many of your farmers are tight with egg production for all our markets collectively but we are doing what we can.
WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN?
In addition to a local egg shortage because of temperatures being colder than over the past decade, the flu is also making it harder for local farmers to have access to new chicks and increase their flocks. Even regional hatcheries are following suit out of fear and economic incentive and limiting production until this wave of avian flu subsides. This year may be very tight with eggs across the board, and farmers, to make up for the economic loss, will have to make it up by charging more for the eggs they are producing. We will do what we can to keep it competitive with big box grocers while also offering, the more important, 100% transparency.
For more information on Bone In Food visit their website and be sure to use code JAHLERS for a discount at checkout!