EUGENE, Ore. – In a cabinet meeting today, President Donald Trump called egg prices ‘a disaster,’ and now American families want to take matters into their own hands.
The Department of Agriculture secretary says the USDA is investing billions of dollars into a new plan and that plan will help mitigate the spread of bird flu, and lower egg prices. Part of that plan includes cutting back egg production regulations, making it easier for families to raise barnyard chickens, which is good news for a growing number of households across southwest Oregon who are looking to raise their own poultry.
“This time of year, we’re very high,” said Tina Bartam, Coastal Farm and Ranch store manager. “Like, normally we are not we are just now starting to receive our chicks and we’ve been doing our chicks for a month now. I would say it’s at least three times the demand right now.”
Managers at Coastal Farm and Ranch said their inventory of chicks sells out as fast as they arrive, with shipments of 500 chicks often gone by the end of the day. Prices range from four to 12 dollars, depending on the breed and the breed determines how many eggs they’ll produce. Some produce an egg every day.
The USDA also plans to invest $500 million into biosecurity enhancements that would help keep the bird flu off farms and temporarily import more eggs to reduce prices. The plan will be paid for, at least in part, by Department of Government Efficiency cuts.
Those interested in raising their own poultry should be aware of the level of care involved, with such as expenses as chicken feed and a coop to provide shelter from the element, to provide safe shelter from predators, and for roosting.
