With the price of eggs skyrocketing recently, Arizona consumers are feeling the first hand effects of avian flu.
Around 40 million laying chickens nationwide have been euthanized nationwide in the outbreak. More than 1 million of them were at one of the Southwest’s largest egg companies, Hickman’s Family Farms, based in Buckeye.
President Glenn Hickman says that’s led to supply shortages.
"The reason that egg prices are so high is because our national flock size is conservatively estimated at 10% to 15% below what is needed to supply the demand," Hickman said.
He says they’ve taken all precautions to sanitize and sterilize their farm, but have had two separate outbreaks and completely shut their facility in Maricopa because of the virus.
Hickman believes avian flu is now in the environment and cannot be eradicated without a vaccine.
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