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Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025

Has an Arizona law requiring cage-free conditions contributed to a nationwide increase in egg prices?

Carmela Guaglianone, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
no

An Arizona regulation requiring eggs sold within the state to come from cage-free hens is not yet in effect. The state Department of Agriculture initially postponed implementation of the rule from January 2025 to January 2026 in response to the current avian flu outbreak, citing already-limited egg availability across the United States. Gov. Katie Hobbs later directed the department to delay implementation further.

Since January 2022, when the present avian flu strain began circulating widely in the United States, the disease has led to the deaths of more than 166 million poultry, including commercial and backyard chickens. The U.S. tests all commercial poultry flocks for avian flu year-round as a biosecurity measure. If even one case is detected, the entire flock is excluded from the food system, ultimately affecting the country’s egg supply.

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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.

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