Egg Prices Soar As Border Smuggling Rises Amid Avian Flu Crisis

Packaged chicken breasts on a factory conveyor belt.

Soaring egg prices fueled by the avian flu are triggering unlikely smuggling attempts at U.S. borders.

Key Takeaways

Egg smuggling at U.S. ports has increased by 29% due to high egg prices.
Millions of chickens have been culled due to bird flu, affecting egg production and prices.
Raw eggs from Mexico are illegal in the U.S. due to disease risks.
CBP has issued $4,000 in penalties for illegal egg smuggling.
Turkey will export 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. to help with the shortage.

Rising Smuggling Attempts

The avian flu epidemic is causing significant challenges for U.S. border enforcement agencies as they deal with a notable rise in egg smuggling. The El Paso port of entry in Texas has encountered over 90 instances of egg smuggling from Mexico since January, as unauthorized importers try to circumvent high egg prices in the U.S. Egg prices have increased due to extensive culls in poultry populations.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has highlighted that raw eggs from Mexico are illegal due to the potential spread of bird flu and virulent Newcastle disease. This regulation aims to protect both public health and domestic agriculture. Perpetrators face penalties of up to $10,000 for failing to declare agricultural items. “Failure to declare agriculture items can result in penalties of up to $10,000,” stated Sidney Aki, reiterating the seriousness of these violations.

Impact of the Bird Flu

The ongoing bird flu outbreak is the leading factor behind the unprecedented rise in egg smuggling attempts. Millions of egg-laying chickens were culled in response to the outbreak, sharply disrupting egg production across the nation. Consequently, the cost of eggs has reached unprecedented levels, with the average price for a dozen large white eggs hitting $8.07 as of February 21st.

As grocery stores impose limits on consumer purchases, awareness of the egg shortage grows, prompting more opportunistic buying. In a bid to mitigate the crisis, 33 million pounds of eggs are to be shipped from Turkey to the U.S. “15,000 tonnes (33 million pounds) of eggs—equivalent to 700 containers—will be shipped,” said Ibrahim Afyon.

Penalties for Smugglers

As the egg smuggling continues, CBP officers have recorded 16 civil penalties totaling approximately $4,000 since the beginning of the year. Unlike egg smuggling attempts, other items like rooster gaffs and animal steroids have also been intercepted at various entry points. CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha emphasized, “CBP officers remain steadfast in their efforts to execute their primary homeland security mission.”

The Department of Agriculture has played a crucial role in addressing the outbreak. With federal spending topped nearly $2 billion for the bird flu response and compensating affected farmers. To help with containment, the USDA is working with rehired workers previously laid off due to budget cuts. This crisis underscores the need for a swift and coordinated response to maintain control over border challenges and agricultural stability.