Egg prices in the United States are expected to rise by around 20% in 2025, despite claims to the contrary by Vice President JD Vance. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) price forecast, egg prices are set to increase significantly, in contrast to the general 2.2% rise in overall food prices. The USDA attributes this surge to the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, which has strained egg supply.

In an interview with CBS News’s Face the Nation, JD Vance claimed that gas and grocery prices would eventually come back down. “Prices are going to come down, but it’s going to take a little bit of time,” Vance said. At the same time, Vance also publicly lauded President Donald Trump’s executive orders, claiming they would work to bring the price down further and jobs into the U.S., securing higher wages for those jobs in return that will come down even further.

Nevertheless, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service reported on 3 January that retail egg prices have already climbed to record-high levels. By 17 January, avian influenza had been reported in over 136 million poultry across 50 US states, resulting in increased prices. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that in December, the average price of a dozen extra-large, grade-A eggs jumped to $4.15, from $3.65 in November. Egg prices had risen more than 36% year over year as of December, according to the Consumer Price Index.

While it’s uncertain when egg prices will stabilize, the defining factor will be how quickly farmers can restock their healthful populations of laying hens. “Nobody knows when the future of egg supply will stabilize,” said Emily Metz, American Egg Board president and CEO, “but bird flu remains an ongoing threat to our egg farms, and egg farmers are working around the clock to protect their birds, replenish supply and keep those eggs coming.”.