Trump promised $1 billion to fight bird flu, lower egg prices. USDA -TESLA (NASDAQ:TSLA) says: “Hope to summer”

The president-led government Donald Trump Preparations are being prepared to introduce up to $1 billion in measures to cope with the ongoing bird epidemic or avian influenza (HPAI) and to enhance imports of imported eggs to address the soaring price price.

what happened: Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins According to USDA data, this is a response to the three-year bird flu crisis, a response to the demise of about 166 million chickens. The virus also affected nearly 1,000 herds and infected nearly 70 people, with one death since the beginning of 2024.

The USDA plans to allocate up to $500 million to free biosafety audits on farms and provide $400 million to increase the pay rate for farmers who need to eliminate chickens due to the flu, and said at a meeting of state agriculture officials that chickens need to be eliminated. The funding will come from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Company, a discretionary fund that the secretary can access, explained by the Chief of Staff of Rollins. Kailee Tkacz Bulleraccording to Reuters.

Rollins further noted that other strategies include $100 million for vaccine research, efforts to reduce regulatory burdens in the egg and chicken industries and consider temporary import solutions.

Although the USDA is considering a chicken vaccine, it has not been approved yet. Opinions from the poultry industry are divided on this issue due to possible trade impacts. The government also plans to increase imports of imported eggs and reduce exports to strengthen domestic supply and combat record egg prices. Türkiye has pledged to export 15,000 tons of eggs to the United States by July, a move expected to significantly increase U.S. egg supply.

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Why it matters: The move follows a recent debate on food affordability solutions, triggered by well-known economic commentators Noah Smith. Smith laughs at the president as egg prices reach record levels Donald Trump And a replacement for eggs (such as chickpeas) was proposed.

High egg prices have been a key reason for inflation in the country. The most recent monthly consumer price index shows that the average cost of the average Class A egg in U.S. cities has risen to $4.95 in January. Special options such as organic and cageless eggs are even more expensive. On Wednesday, the USDA predicted that egg prices, which already had record highs, could rise by more than 40% in 2025.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to increase egg imports, especially from Turkey, is expected to alleviate the current shortage of eggs and stabilize prices.

That being said, Rollins admits: “I think it will take some time to get through in the next two months, but hopefully by summer.” Rollins is still confident that despite the reduction in federal workforce led by North, the USDA will have enough staff to respond to bird flu.

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Disclaimer: The content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.