DENVER (KDVR) — A dozen eggs are costing people more than a gallon of gas lately.
At the National Western Stock Show, as curious kids got a delicious introduction to all things eggs Thursday, Colorado Egg Producers Association Executive Director Bill Scebbi cracked open the circumstances costing farmers and consumers.
“We are going through the perfect storm for eggs in the state of Colorado,” Scebbi said. “Right now, none of our farms are in operation due to the avian influenza.”
Colorado Egg Producers represents six farms that are typically responsible for laying a billion eggs a year in the state. Scebbi said all of these farms got hit last year by avian influenza.
“When this flu hits one bird, it’s going to hit all of them,” Scebbi said. “If our farm has 1.5 million hens, that’s a lot of barns that they’re going to have to fill in order to repopulate. The process takes a bit of time, so we don’t have a supply of eggs in the state of Colorado.”
Scebbi said farmers are currently purchasing eggs from other farms outside of the state while they are disinfecting and working to repopulate.
“The process of repopulating takes weeks, months so we are looking at probably some time in May to be in full production again, we hope,” Scebbi said. “Now, you can’t crystal ball avian flu, that can strike again at any time.”