Avian flu outbreak hurts supply of eggs
Higher egg prices at restaurants and grocery stores are here to stay for a while.
An outbreak of avian flu in June triggered a massive culling of about 42 million egg-laying chickens and pullets and caused an egg shortage, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The shortage started this summer during the tourist season.
At grocery stores, shoppers will also find higher priced eggs. The national average for a dozen large eggs has risen by 50 percent since last year, up to $2.96 from $1.97, according to a Bureau of the Labor Statistics report from September.
Across Colorado, the high demand has been good for egg producers, who were completely unaffected by the avian flu.
“The demand for eggs is very robust,” said Jerry Wilkins, the president of the Colorado Egg Producers Association.
About 4 million egg-laying hens are in Colorado, and they produce about 1 billion eggs a year, he said.
But this is a very small fraction of the industry. Before the flu hit, there were about 305 million egg-laying hens nationwide.
It will likely take a year to 18 months before the flock is fully restored and the shortage eases, he said.
Companies making egg-products, like liquid egg whites, have been hit hardest by the culling because about 30 million of the egg-laying chickens were dedicated to egg products.
Some European countries have been approved to export eggs on a temporary basis, and that should help meet demand, he said.
Colo. workforce board to meet at fairgrounds
The Southwest Colorado Workforce Board will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 4 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in the Florida Room, 2500 Main Ave.
Agenda items will include general Workforce board business.
For more information, call Chloe Wiebe at 247-0308, ext. 228.
Economic inequality public talk to be held
“Global Economic Inequality: Cause and Effect” will be presented by Dr. Ron Garst at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango, 419 San Juan Drive.
Results from Southwest Colorado Waste Audit
The Southwest Colorado Council of Governments, which promotes regional cooperation and collaboration among local governments and between levels of governments for Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan Counties, will present their findings from a 2014 Regional Waste Audit and next steps toward increasing recycling in Southwest Colorado.
The meeting is at noon on Nov. 4, at the Henry Strater Theater. Register or RSVP to info@sanjuancitizens.org by 9 am Monday, Nov. 2. Cost is $15, $18 for walk-ins.
Speaker Miriam Gillow-Wiles is the executive director of the SWCCOG. She moved to Durango in 2009 as an AmeriCorps VISTA working in historic mining communities across Colorado and New Mexico and then worked as the Town Planner for Ignacio before moving to her current position in 2013.
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