National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett has indicated that a plan to address the avian flu outbreak and reduce egg prices is in the works and will be presented to President Donald Trump soon. Here are the key details about the timing and potential contents of the plan:
Timing: The plan is expected to be ready for President Trump later this week. Hassett mentioned that he was editing the plan with his team, suggesting that it is in its final stages of preparation.
Potential contents. While specific details are not yet available, Hassett has provided some insights into what the plan might include:
- Biosecurity measures: The plan aims to implement “better ways with biosecurity and medication” to control the spread of avian flu without resorting to mass culling of chickens.
- Smart perimeter approach: Instead of the previous administration’s approach of “randomly killing chickens within a perimeter where they found a sick chicken,” the new plan proposes a “smart perimeter” strategy.
- Scientific collaboration: Hassett mentioned working with “all the best people in government, including academics around the country and around the world” to develop the plan.
Potential additional measures: While not explicitly mentioned by Hassett, the plan could potentially include some of the following measures based on industry recommendations:
- Enhanced surveillance and early detection of avian flu outbreaks
- Expedited flock replacement procedures
- Measures to address labor shortages in the egg industry
- Possible temporary easing of import restrictions
- Investment in research for avian flu-resistant poultry breeds
While the plan’s specific impact on egg prices and availability remains to be seen, the administration’s goal is to:
- Stabilize the egg supply by preventing large-scale culling of chickens
- Indirectly address high egg prices by increasing availability in the market
The effects of this new strategy may not be immediate. USDA still projects that egg prices will increase by about 20% in 2025 compared to a 2.2% increase for food prices in general.
Bottom line: The plan is still being finalized, and the exact details will only be known once it is officially presented to President Trump and made public.