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Are eggs cheaper now than during Biden’s present presidency
Executive summary
Egg prices rose sharply during the Biden years—BLS data show a climb from about $1.60 per dozen in February 2021 to $4.10 in December 2024—and wholesale prices spiked further into early 2025 amid a major avian‑influenza–driven supply shock [1] [2]. Since January 2025, some wholesale egg indexes plunged quickly while retail prices have lagged, so claims that eggs are uniformly “cheaper now” require careful qualification: wholesale prices fell markedly in March 2025, but retail prices remained above many Biden‑era monthly averages through at least February–March 2025 [3] [4] [5].
1. What the federal data show about the Biden years
Government statistics cited by fact‑checkers document big increases in egg prices during Joe Biden’s presidency: the Bureau of Labor Statistics series indicates a rise from about $1.60 per dozen in February 2021 to roughly $4.10 in December 2024, reflecting a multiyear surge driven largely by outbreaks of avian influenza and resulting flock depopulation [1] [2]. Multiple outlets note that the bird‑flu‑related deaths of tens of millions of laying hens were a principal cause of higher prices late in Biden’s term [1] [2].
2. What changed after January 2025 — wholesale vs. retail
Reporting and fact‑checks emphasize an important distinction: wholesale (what retailers pay producers) and retail (what consumers pay at the store) egg prices moved differently in early 2025. USDA and market indexes showed wholesale prices “sharply lower” in March 2025 as outbreaks eased, prompting headlines that wholesale prices had plunged [6] [3]. But Bureau of Labor Statistics retail measures in February 2025 still showed retail prices near or above levels from late 2024—February retail grade A large eggs were reported around $5.90 per dozen, higher than December’s $4.14 under Biden, according to BLS‑cited fact checks [5] [4].
3. How politicians framed the change — competing claims
The Trump White House and allied commentators framed recent wholesale drops as proof that eggs are “down” after Trump took office and pushed the narrative that previous administration policies caused the shortage [7] [8]. Fact‑checking organizations and independent analysts pushed back: FactCheck.org and Poynter note officials were often referring to wholesale indexes, not retail prices, and that the supply recovery — not necessarily a new policy—explains the wholesale fall [3] [4]. Others stress that culling flocks is a standard USDA disease‑control tool used under multiple administrations and that attributing all price movements to a single president oversimplifies the market drivers [1] [9].
4. Market forces and the role of bird flu
Economists quoted in reporting underline that supply shocks and demand dynamics explain most of the volatility. Bird flu caused the massive loss of laying hens beginning in 2022 and through 2024, producing sustained tight supply and extreme month‑to‑month volatility; USDA and market commentators warned egg prices would continue to be volatile into 2025 [2] [3]. Reason and other outlets argue presidents have limited direct control over such commodity price swings and that policies can only influence margins rather than instantly reset prices [9].
5. Investigations, aid and policy responses
The federal response included both scrutiny and targeted assistance: the Justice Department opened inquiries into surging egg prices and the USDA signaled measures to ease constraints on supply and to support producers; the Trump administration also announced a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar biosecurity initiative aimed at helping poultry producers [2]. Fact‑checkers cautioned that policy steps take time and that falling wholesale prices in March 2025 were linked to fewer new outbreaks rather than immediate administrative actions [3] [4].
6. Bottom line for consumers asking “Are eggs cheaper now?”
Available sources show a mixed picture: wholesale egg prices dropped sharply in early 2025, leading some officials to say eggs are “down,” but retail prices paid by shoppers lagged and in early 2025 remained, in many measures, higher than several Biden‑era months [3] [4] [5]. Therefore, a blanket claim that eggs are cheaper now than “during Biden’s presidency” is incomplete — it depends on whether one refers to wholesale versus retail prices and which months under Biden are used as the comparison baseline [3] [1].
Limitations and unanswered questions: available sources do not offer a single, consistent month‑by‑month retail time series extended past February–March 2025 in this set, so precise dollar‑for‑dollar comparisons for later 2025 retail prices are not provided in the materials here (not found in current reporting).