Vanessa Gela and Kelstin Socke, Associated Press
Schoennietzsche, Germany (AP) — The US government is globally hunting eggs, alleviating a severe shortage of grocery stores’ egg prices reaching record highs in search of exports from Europe and other countries.
According to European trade associations, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the countries that the USDA approached to address the shortages brought on by the avian flu outbreak.
But supplying eggs to Americans is complicated for foreign producers. And not because of political tensions over countless import tariffs, President Donald Trump threatened or threatened to impose his country’s top trading partners.
Even if they want to share, European countries don’t have much surplus eggs due to their own avian flu outbreak and increased domestic demand before Easter.
However, one of the biggest obstacles is the approach the US takes to prevent salmonella contamination. US food safety regulations require fresh eggs to be disinfected and refrigerated before reaching shoppers. In the European Union, safety standards require that Grade A eggs be sold without washing or extended.
“These are two systems that can’t be different any more,” said Hans Peter Goldnick, president of the German Egg Association.
Supermarket egg wings
For example, in parts of Europe, it is common for consumers to buy eggs that are still packed with feathers and chicken poo.
Farmer David Karlsch explained the simple process of laying eggs from chickens to customers at the family-run Sabals poultry farm in Schoenniche, a town just outside the German capital. The eggs are photographed from the nest and sold from a refrigerated vending machine on site or just outside the facility.
“There’s a very, very high demand during the Easter season, as many kids want to draw eggs naturally,” Karlsch said.
According to Catalzina Gauroska, director of the National Chicken Hospital and Feed Producer, Poland, a leading egg exporter, has submitted a US question about the availability of eggs. The laundered, non-conflict issues were a major factor as European officials considered such demands, she said.
Eggs have not been cleaned in most 27 EU countries due to concerns that by removing the natural protective coating from the eggshell, they become more vulnerable to bacteria, Garoska said.
Polish veterinary staff are trying to determine whether the country and its farmers are able to meet our requirements, such as whether the exporter has a comparable food safety testing system or a substantial avian flu outbreak.
Powdered egg products
European Union regulations state that eggs on tables should not be “washed or cleaned,” but if egg baths were approved with packaging plants decades ago, there are some countries in the member states.
Jorgen Nyberg Larsen, CEO of the Danish Egg Association, said national customs are part of it. For example, Swedish wash eggs are standard. But Sweden and Norway informed the US that they don’t have any extra eggs for them to export, Larsen said.
For now, an increase in US egg imports from Europe is likely to arrive in powdered forms and other products that can be freeze- or dried, Larsen said.
That is the response that the Polish Industry Association gave to American officials. If the US proves Poland as a source, members of the organization will have a limited number of shelled eggs to sell, but they can supply “a very large amount of egg processed products,” Garoska said.
Processed eggs are usually pasteurized to prevent foodborne illnesses and are used in food production and restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Baked goods, pasta and sauces, such as mayonnaise, are some of the commercial products made with egg powder.
Europe’s own production problems
Also, according to Coldiretti, Italy’s leading agricultural lobbying organisation, US officials have tried to ring farmers in the Veneto region of northern Italy for emergency egg supply.
However, Italy is only producing enough eggs to cover the national demand, so most producers in the region said they can’t help. The first outbreak of avian flu since its launch last year has also been tortured the Italian poultry industry.
Germany is also unable to contribute much. The domestic poultry industry produces around 73% of the eggs consumed in the country. “And we ourselves must import eggs every day to satisfy everyone,” said Golden of the German Egg Association.
“We have around 45 million eggs that we can collect from our chicken coops every day. In America, we have around 50 million eggs a day, which shows how difficult it is,” he said.
US market improvements and Easter demand
Other countries contacted by the US government include Austria, Norway, Spain and Denmark. The USDA said it has secured commitments to new eggs from Türkiye and South Korea in recent months, but did not specify the amount or type.
Importing liquid, frozen and dried eggs could help free household shell eggs for consumers, but the US sued foreign eggs amid a serious deficit. Last month, the country had 720 million table eggs less than February 2024, down nearly 10%.
The US has also cut its own egg exports to increase supplies at home, the Department of Agriculture said.
While informal trade talks continue, the US market shows signs of improvement. It’s been almost a month since the outbreak of major bird flu affected egg-selling chickens, the department said. National wholesale prices for large eggs, which fell to $3.27 per dozen as of March 21, fell to less than $8.15 per dozen on February 21.
US consumers said they are just beginning to see a decline in wholesale prices being converted to lower prices on grocery shelves. The huge demand for eggs, usually associated with Easter and Passover, could see prices rise again next month.
Business is business
Trump has not walked precisely through the eggshells with European people since the start of his second term. The president’s repeated threat to seize Greenland, Danish territory, has infuriated many in Denmark. His stance on Ukraine and his sloppy remarks from top members of his administration are wary of America’s European allies.
The European Union, the US’s third largest trading partner, was not exempt from the tariffs Trump ordered steel, aluminum and cars. For more information, we are preparing a counterattack on American products.
However, many European officials say it does not rule out egg exports.
Goldnick said a friend of the egg producer recently said, “If the price is correct, I’ll deliver it.” He said it would lead to a business decision, whether it was made or not.
“I have two souls in my heart. On the one hand, I say, ‘No, I can’t support this system,’ but that’s not the right answer,” he said.
“The right answer is that we have to help wherever we can. It has to do with people. It has to do with the government. You don’t support them or anything, but it’s the demand for people in Easter for eggs, and it’s just as important to be satisfied in America as it is here.”
Jela reported from Warsaw, Poland. Dee Ann Durbin of Detroit, Giada Zampano of Rome, and Josh Funk of Omaha, Nebraska contributed to the report.
Original issue: March 28, 2025 7:35am EDT
