The Department of Justice under President Trump has officially launched an investigation into the staggering surge in egg prices, which is expected to rise by more than 40% in 2025.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the DOJ has sent letters to major egg producers, demanding they preserve documents related to their pricing discussions with customers and competitors, as well as communications with Expana—formerly Urner Barry—a business publisher that tracks egg prices.
The investigation appears to be focused on determining whether major egg companies colluded to restrict supply and artificially inflate prices while raking in record-breaking profits.
The Biden administration’s economic disaster has already led to a crippling increase in food prices that have burdened American families. When Biden took office in January 2021, the average cost of a dozen eggs was just $1.47.
Fast forward to December 2024, and that same carton costs $4.15—a nearly 200% increase, according to the Federal Reserve of St. Louis. Now, with some stores pricing a dozen eggs at $10 or higher, the Trump administration is stepping in to determine whether corporate price gouging has worsened the crisis.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest data indicates that the national average price of eggs has soared to an alarming $6.85.
According to ABC7, one company that has greatly benefited from this crisis is Cal-Maine Foods, the largest producer of fresh eggs in the United States.
Despite widespread claims of supply chain issues and bird flu outbreaks, Cal-Maine has seen its stock price skyrocket by over 50% in the last year as profits surged.
Farm Action, a farm advocacy group that has been vocal about corporate greed, confirmed in a Friday statement that sources inside the DOJ say a formal investigation is underway.
More from the press release:
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched an antitrust investigation into the egg industry following a February 2025 letter from Farm Action, which exposed industry consolidation, excessive corporate profits, and likely supply restrictions. Farm Action initially raised concerns in 2023 and now applauds the DOJ’s action, emphasizing that dominant egg producers have leveraged avian flu as an excuse to keep prices artificially high while amassing record profits.
Cal-Maine Foods, which controls 20% of the egg market, has seen its gross profits surge by 237% between FY21 and FY24, with evidence suggesting major egg firms are restricting supply to sustain inflated prices. Despite historically high prices, the egg-laying flock has recovered at a much slower rate than after past outbreaks, raising concerns of deliberate market manipulation. Additionally, increasing market consolidation, including control over breeder flocks by a few major players, has made it difficult for new competitors to enter the industry and stabilize prices.
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