US Egg Prices Plummet to 20-Year Lows Amid Feed Cost Worries

US egg prices have plummeted to 20-year lows in 2026, a stark contrast to the record highs of 2025. According to data presented at the Georgia Layer Conference on September 28, the January-August average price for large eggs delivered to a Midwest warehouse was about 81 cents per dozen, a 38% drop from the inflation-adjusted 20-year average of $1.31 per dozen.

Maro Ibarburu, research scientist at the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University, noted that producer values have fallen even further to approximately 48 cents per dozen. This is 'way below the cost of production,' Ibarburu said. The decline in egg prices could become more challenging for producers if feed costs increase as expected.

USDA projections indicate corn prices may rise by 16% next year, while soybean meal prices could increase by 5%. Based on these projections, layer feed costs are estimated to increase approximately 8%, which would exacerbate the already low producer values. The potential increase in feed costs comes after corn and soybean meal prices retreated from elevated levels experienced several years ago.