During a recent White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a statement regarding the surge in egg prices, attributing it to the mass killing of over 100 million chickens. However, this claim requires further context to fully understand the situation.
The 'killings' mentioned by Leavitt are actually a necessary measure mandated by the Department of Agriculture to contain the spread of avian flu, a highly contagious virus that has affected approximately 100 million birds since 2022. The affected birds either succumb to the virus naturally or are culled to prevent its further spread. Farmers are required to report any outbreaks to state authorities and the Department of Agriculture, which then take steps to eliminate the infected birds from the flock. In cases where farmers lose their flocks due to the virus, they can seek financial assistance from the USDA.
