HELENA — A dozen eggs will likely set you back over five dollars and fifty cents in Montana amid shortages during an ongoing bird flu outbreak. A state official, an egg producer, and a restaurant weighed in.
Tahnee Szymanski, the state veterinarian at the Montana Department of Livestock, explained why the department recently extended guidance released in October 2024.
“We are into the spring migration, and if you look at activity across the country, we're seeing ongoing transmission of disease from wild birds to domestic birds. And because of that, we're extending our advisory to continue enhancing biosecurity and continue confining birds indoors where they can through this spring migration season, which will extend into July."
Szymanski also elaborated on how the outbreak in other parts of the country affects the nationwide supply chain, even here in Montana.
“If you look at the activity of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) across the country, in particular, over the last 60 to 90 days, it has gotten into areas of the country that have large numbers of layers [birds that lay eggs], and so the impact of the layer population right now is really substantial."
According to the Department of Livestock, the risk of transmission to humans is currently low.
“One of the big reasons that we respond the way that we do is because [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza] is a potentially Zoonotic disease, so a disease that can potentially spread to people. The current risk for that disease, for the circulating strain, to spread to people, is considered low, even though we have had human cases across the country, most of those are associated with people that have worked around sick birds or infected cattle. So, the risk to people is low. We are continuing our response and all our measures to make sure that we're continuing to protect the public,” says Szymanski.
Egg producers, retailers, and restaurants are feeling the effects — among them is Steve’s Cafe.
“We’re having to consider raising prices, which we don't care to do just because it’s costing us $600 a week just in the additional price for the same amount of eggs,” said Steve Vincelli, Owner of Steve’s Cafe.
Karena Carlton of Rock C Farm in the North Valley has around forty-one chickens, which produced approximately 300 dozen eggs last year. She sells the eggs her chickens lay for $3 a dozen, approximately two dollars less than the state's current average per carton.
“We just want to share our eggs with people. We're not in it to make a buck or anything; we want to cover the cost of the food they [the Chickens] have,” said Carlton.
Though the farm doesn’t sell its eggs commercially, community members wishing to purchase Carlton’s eggs can contact the farm by calling 406-381-3399.
MTN called multiple grocery stores in Helena on Wednesday. One store said it only had two small cartons of quail eggs in stock. New stock of brown and white eggs often fly off shelves in less than an hour.
According to Google Shopping and the retailer’s websites, Albertson’s, Walmart, Safeway, and Walgreens in Helena all have eggs in stock as of Wednesday night.
