Little egg farms avoid deficiencies, keep stable prices

Art King knows that the prices of the eggs at national level were in a ride with the coast. They still cost on average almost three times more than they did in July 2023, but not on its agricultural market.

As a co-owner of Harvest Valley Farms in West Deer, King has sold eggs of about $ 6 per dozen for years, and his prices have not changed.

He attributes it to the production of some of the eggs on his own farm and buying the rest of another small local farm, not a large national egg producer.

While this has made more competitive prices, with the national average of about $ 5.90 on dozen, according to the US Labor Statistics Office, King says it also offers a certain protection against the largest cause of egg prices: Avian flu.

In fact, smaller farms say that they were beneficiaries for raising egg prices.

Small egg producers do not have huge flocks of chicken concentrated in pens. Most are proud of chickens with free radius, or at least fed with pastures, which makes them less sensitive to a widespread flu outbreak. Lack of eggs – largely caused by killing whole herds in which the flu is detected – has had a less effect on smaller producers so far.

“It is a simple lesson of economy: when the offer decreases, the price increases,” King said about national prices.

It’s about the same formula at Nature’s Grove Farm near Latrobe.

Andy Vlcek, the co -owner of Nature’s Grove, maintained the constant prices, just before the pandemic, by uniting forces with other local farmers.

“We are partners with an amish local farmer that we have known for years and grow their own organic grains. It will not provide them with another country; we do not have to worry about increasing the price of pesticides. It is a pretty constant price from year to year.

So, when we are not dependent on government subsidized crops or chemical fertilizers, we are able to offer a true price for our eggs and meat, without much of the influence of market changes, ”said Vlcek.

Vlcek also attributes the lack of impact of avian influenza on good agricultural practices.

“When you cram 40,000 birds in a hen house, living on top of your own manure, stripped of any green grass, bugs and sunlight and feed a ration that is based either to put muscle (for meat chickens), or to increase the production of the animal, Pharmaceutical, “he said.

Vlcek does not know about a single pasture -based operation that has suffered mass loss due to avian flu.

At Nature’s Grove, the chicks are raised in pastures and move free. From his experience, Vlcek noted the poultry that consumes the grass are much less sensitive to the avian flu.

“Chlorophyll is one of the best detoxification of nature,” he said.

At Freehling Farms near Kittanning, where King receives many of his eggs, there is a high demand. The bird farm held by the family and operated by the family records increased sales.

“We are very busy with the increased demand for eggs and chickens. The number of calls, texts and messages we respond daily is the largest we have ever seen,” said owner Roger Freehling in a statement.

They sell 500 to 600 dozen per week, worth 2,000 dozen per month from 1,500 chickens of the farm.

At Freehling’s, they are mainly sold to local markets and smaller farms, such as Harvest Valley and Family Family Farms, also in the West Deer. Freehling said the eggs of his farm were constantly sold for $ 4.99 on the dozen.

A real threat

Avoiding the bird flu needed some additional caution, even for smaller producers.

Freehling’s birds would normally spend more hot months, but keeping away from wild birds – a main source of avian flu – it required the use of pen, where the chickens are sheltered “vaguely”, are not crowded together.

“This is a very devastating infection and the largest infection in poultry,” said Dr. Sush Kuchipudi, president of infectious diseases and microbiology at the Pittsburgh University Public School.

Biosecurity measures, such as footwear or tires before entering the chicken house and washing hands and wearing protective clothes, are the largest defense against the flu, said Kuchipudi.

“It doesn’t matter how big or small the farm or the number of herds. The key is not to rely on biosecurity. Whatever they can do to prevent the virus from entering is the best weapon they have to save their flocks.”

The current strategy that the US uses to control bird flu is to kill a full herd if the disease is detected, Kuchipudi said.

It is assumed to prevent the spread of the virus. Any flock 5 kilometers from the flock that has been destroyed must be subjected to regular tests to ensure that the infection has not been widespread.

In 2014 and 2015, this method worked, and the virus disappeared. This date is different, because the number of viral sources has increased, including animals that fed with dead birds, and the disease spread to dairy cats.

The first cattle infection was reported in March 2024 in Texas. Since then, cases in dairy cattle have increased to several hundred, with the highest rates in California and Colorado.

The number of killed chickens led to the loss of egg stocks. Farmers are not able to repopulate immediately. Then the new birds do not immediately lay eggs.

“There is a loss of productivity and production time,” Kuchipudi said.

Freehling sees a small agriculture as a way to avoid such deficiencies, “as long as he supports the farmer to do so,” he said.

Small operations do not have the number of hen table producers, but they can be more adaptive to them to meet the market requirements or to protect against the spread of infections.

At Harvest Valley, there are 27 chicks and no new chickens came – some of the king’s care practices to avoid flu.

At Nature’s Grove, they cut their chickens with eggs, but they intend to grow their flock this season, Vlcek said.

Besides, King said, while egg prices have raised prices for almost anything else. He does not see the price of eggs as different from the costs of other articles from the consumer’s point of view.

Other articles have grown, according to The US Statistics DepartmentSince 2019. Bread per kilogram has increased by about 51%, gallon milk by about 40%, ground beef per kilogram by 53%and chicken per kilogram by 37%.

Compared to these articles, he said, eggs are not so expensive, especially when they consider their high nutrient value.

Vlcek said that the deficit is less in terms of prices and more about the deplorable treatment of animals that led to the spread of bird flu.

“Every time we demonize wild animals and we do not stop to ask how we grow birds, it gives us reasons to take a break,” Vlcek said.