New bill seeks to reduce high egg prices

A new bill has been introduced in Congress to help reduce high egg prices. The bill, called the Lowering Egg Prices Act, aims to change a federal rule that requires farmers to discard many eggs that do not meet specific refrigeration standards. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Josh Riley, a Democrat from New York, with support from 11 other representatives, including Michigan's Kristen McDonald Rivet and Shri Thanedar. The goal is to overturn regulations that force the chicken industry to waste eggs, potentially increasing the supply of eggs available to consumers. Egg prices hit record highs in February, partly due to an ongoing bird flu outbreak that has led to the slaughter of over 30 million egg-laying chickens this year. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that wholesale egg prices are starting to drop, which may lead to lower prices in grocery stores before Easter. McDonald Rivet commented that the refrigeration rule is necessary for raw eggs, but not for pasteurized "breaker eggs." She emphasized the need to make groceries more affordable for families in Michigan and mentioned that the bill could allow hundreds of millions of eggs to enter the market, helping to lower consumer prices. She noted that farmers have had to discard nearly 400 million eggs annually because of the current rule. The lawmakers believe this bill could provide much-needed relief to families facing rising grocery costs.