US egg prices for urban consumers rose again in September, putting the price of a dozen (grade A) at $2.97. That’s only 10 cents off the highest on record, 1984’s inflation-adjusted price of $3.07, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistic data.
Egg prices are rising as the US Department of Agriculture tries to contain a bird flu outbreak by killing infected flocks. So far, 40.3 million chickens—the vast majority of which are birds used for egg production—and 7.7 million other types of birds have been destroyed in the effort.
The infection was apparently contained over the summer. There hasn’t been a newly reported case of bird flu since June 17 according to USDA data.
It was the same story last month, leaving eggs a more expensive protein than chicken.