Chicken farmers say their eggs could help reduce prices

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Chicken producers want to do their part to bring down current soaring egg prices. They’re offering to sell their 400 million surplus eggs to food producers if they can convince the FDA to change the food safety rule that prevents that. U.S. egg prices have surged over the past year thanks to the ongoing bird flu outbreak and the highest inflation in decades. There have even been calls for a price-fixing investigation after the average price of a dozen eggs hit $4.25 in December. The National Chicken Council trade group argues that the eggs chicken farmers produce would be safe because they would be pasteurized but FDA rules currently prevent their use because they aren’t refrigerated right away.