In just 30 days, bird flu has wiped out nearly 13 million chickens in the U.S., driving up egg prices. The Federal Reserve Bank reported the average cost of a dozen eggs reached $4.15 in December.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has highlighted the outbreak as a serious threat to chicken and dairy producers. When a flock is infected, the entire group must be culled to prevent the virus from spreading, leaving producers to rebuild from scratch and halting egg production.

During a House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Dr. Justin Smith, an animal health commissioner, attributed the virus’s spread to migrating wild birds, particularly geese. These birds transmit the disease as they interact with both large-scale and backyard farms.

The USDA monitors bird flu cases, with its interactive map showing Kansas’s latest outbreak on January 13, 2025.