DOJ Probes Cal-Maine Foods Over Soaring Egg Prices

Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the U.S., said it is cooperating with a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into whether egg producers colluded to unfairly raise prices.

The news comes as egg prices, while down from their all-time highs, are still 60% higher than last year, with wholesale prices at about $3 per dozen, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"In March 2025, the Company received a civil investigative demand in connection with a widely publicized investigation by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice into the causes behind nationwide increases in egg prices. The Company is cooperating with the investigation," as per the official statement provided as part of its third quarter results.

The company said it's too early to know how long the investigation will take or what the outcome will be.

The DOJ's antitrust chief, Abigail Slater stated that the department is focusing on stopping unfair practices that hurt consumers in everyday markets like food.

Analysts say prices have eased due to lower demand and fewer new bird flu outbreaks. Experts also noted that tariffs introduced during the Trump administration could make imported eggs more expensive, Reuters reported.

Cal-Maine Backs USDA's $1 Billion Egg Industry Support Plan

Cal-Maine Foods CEO Sherman Miller said the company is proud of how its team has handled a difficult market. He welcomed the USDA's recent $1 billion investment plan to support the egg industry, which includes better biosecurity, regulatory relief for farmers, and vaccine research to help stabilize egg supply.

While these steps will take time, Miller sees them as a positive move toward balancing supply and demand. He added that the company's decades of experience in the egg business have taught them the value of safe, efficient, and sustainable operations.

Cal-Maine, based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, is involved in producing, packaging, marketing, and distributing different types of eggs, including conventional, cage-free, organic, brown, free-range, pasture-raised, and eggs with added nutrients. It also offers a variety of ready-to-eat egg products and sells its eggs across most of the country.

Egg prices soared in early 2025 as the bird flu outbreak wreaked havoc on the industry, leading farms to cull birds to slow the spread. Data from the Agriculture Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that half as many flocks were culled in March than were in February, easing the strain, NBC News reported.

Meanwhile, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said she doesn't expect a significant increase in the price of eggs over the next few weeks, Fox News reported.

The country has been importing eggs from other countries, such as Turkey and Mexico, to fill the supply gap amid declining production from devastating bird flu outbreak.