US turns to Denmark for eggs amid bird flu crisis
The US Department of Agriculture has approached Danish producers to sell eggs to replenish store shortages. The shortage is due to bird flu, which has severely impacted American chickens.
What do you need to know?
- Why does the USA need eggs from Denmark? The American market is facing a serious egg shortage due to bird flu, which has led to the loss of about 51 million chickens.
- What are the challenges in the egg trade? Exporting eggs to the USA is hindered by strict sanitary requirements, but discussions are ongoing regarding this matter.
- What are the broader implications? Cooperation on this issue could affect diplomatic relations between the USA and the EU, which are currently tense.
What are the causes of the egg shortage in the USA?
The US Department of Agriculture has asked Danish chicken producers to sell eggs missing from American stores. This issue stems from bird flu, which has had a devastating impact on American chickens. Joergen Nynerg Larsen from Danske Æg emphasised that the USA lost about 51 million out of 310 million chickens.
Is exporting Danish eggs to the USA possible?
According to Nynerg Larsen, previous American sanitary requirements made it difficult to export Danish eggs to the USA. However, discussions are currently underway that could change this. International egg trade is complicated due to the risk of salmonella infection, making it easier to export liquid or dried egg products.
What are the broader implications of this situation?
The Danish Minister of Agriculture, Jacob Jensen, noted that the interest of US authorities in Danish eggs demonstrates the importance of cooperation between Denmark, the EU, and the USA. These relations are tense due to a diplomatic conflict following US President Donald Trump's announcements about Greenland and the tariffs on steel and aluminium from Europe.
What are the reactions to egg price increases in the USA?
According to "Berlingske," citing ABC News, Americans are increasingly renting laying hens, which has become profitable due to high egg prices. The increase in prices of essential food products was one of the topics of the presidential campaign in the USA, where Donald Trump promised to lower prices upon taking office.
