Cage-Free Large White Falls to 28 Cents, Now Below Conventional

USDA's national large white cage-free loose fell to 28.0 cents a dozen this week, down nearly half from 55.0 cents a week ago, and now trades 4.9 cents below the conventional benchmark at 32.9 cents. The cage-free "premium" has inverted to -15%, making cage-free the cheaper option at the national wholesale level. APHIS reports no HPAI layer detections in the past 60 days, the supply context that underpins a broad price retreat across every national size class.

• Extra large white conventional loose (national, USDA): 26.9 cents/doz, down 53.8% on the week from 58.3 cents.
• Extra large white cage-free loose (national, USDA): 31.0 cents/doz, down 48.3% on the week from 60.0 cents.
• Nest run tier 1 white conventional loose (national, USDA): 15.0 cents/doz, down 89.5% on the week from 144 cents.
• Midwest large white, paid to producers FOB (USDA): 36.0 cents/doz, down 14.3% on the week from 42.0 cents.
• South Central extra large white, delivered warehouse (USDA): 70.8 cents/doz, down 10.2% on the week from 78.8 cents.

USDA reports national shell egg inventory at 1,507 thousand cases as of May 25, running 0.4% above the trailing four-week average. South Central conventional inventory is 283 thousand cases, 24% above its five-year median and up 11% on the week. Northwest conventional inventory is the exception at 48.4 thousand cases, 23% below its five-year median, the one regional pocket signaling tightness.

APHIS has confirmed no HPAI detections in commercial egg-layer flocks in the past 60 days, a quiet supply picture on the disease side.

Retail feature context: USDA tracked 214 stores featuring national large white 12-count at $1.40 the week of May 25.

Data note: 56 series, concentrated in California market data, have not updated in over two weeks. California cage-free and other California-market figures should be treated as stale.