Key numbers
USDA egg market statistics, August 2026
The headline numbers, each written as one sentence you can quote, with the date its data runs through and a citation. Free to republish with attribution — see the methodology. The charts behind these numbers are one click away.
National large white benchmark #
The US national large white shell egg benchmark is 41.9¢/doz, loose, down 81% year over year (USDA 5-day weighted average).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Daily National Shell Egg Index · White Large shell eggs, graded loose · Loose, FOB plant · National · through Aug 19, 2026
National medium #
The national medium white shell egg price is 25.6¢/doz, loose (USDA).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Daily National Shell Egg Index · White Medium shell eggs, graded loose · Loose, FOB plant · National · through Aug 19, 2026
US shell egg inventory #
US shell egg inventory stands at 1,470 thousand 30-dozen cases, 5% above the 5-yr median for the week (USDA weekly).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, National Weekly Shell Egg Inventory · Graded shell egg inventory, conventional total · National · through Aug 17, 2026
Tightest region #
Northwest has the tightest shell egg inventory, 27% below its 5-yr median.
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, National Weekly Shell Egg Inventory · Graded shell egg inventory, conventional total · Northwest · through Aug 17, 2026
Highest regional price #
South Central has the highest regional large white price, 110-118¢/doz delivered warehouse (USDA).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Weekly Combined Regional Shell Egg Report · Large white shell eggs, Grade A · Delivered warehouse · South Central · through Aug 10, 2026
Lowest regional price #
New York has the lowest regional large white price, 87.0-91.0¢/doz delivered warehouse (USDA).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Weekly Combined Regional Shell Egg Report · Large white shell eggs, Grade A · Delivered warehouse · New York · through Aug 19, 2026
California cage-free #
California cage-free large white shell eggs are 72.4¢/doz, loose, delivered basis (USDA Daily National Shell Egg Index).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Daily National Shell Egg Index · California cage-free large white loose shell eggs, delivered · Delivered, loose · California · through Aug 19, 2026
Liquid whole egg (breaking market) #
The national caged liquid whole egg price is 19.6¢/lb, the downstream breaking-market read (USDA egg products report).
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Weekly National Egg Products · Liquid whole egg, wholesale · FOB · National · through Aug 10, 2026
Retail feature intensity #
2,032 stores stores featured national large white eggs in USDA's weekly grocery feature report.
About this data: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Weekly Grocery Store Egg Feature Activity · national large white conventional shell eggs, stores featuring · Retail advertised feature · National · through Aug 10, 2026
HPAI-affected layers (YTD) #
16.1 million commercial egg-laying hens have been affected by HPAI so far in 2026, across 13 confirmed layer detections in 5 states (USDA APHIS).
HPAI-affected poultry (YTD) #
23.2 million commercial poultry birds of all types have been affected by HPAI so far in 2026 (USDA APHIS).
US retail egg price #
US shoppers paid an average of $2.19 for a dozen grade A large eggs (BLS average retail price, a mixed basket of conventional, cage-free and organic).
About this data: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data · Eggs, grade A, large, per dozen (APU0000708111); eggs CPI (CUUR0000SEFH) · Consumer retail, mixed basket (conventional/cage-free/organic), cartoned · US city average · through Jul 2026
Egg price inflation (YoY) #
US grocery egg prices were down 25.7% over the past year by the eggs Consumer Price Index, the measure BLS builds to gauge inflation (BLS CPI-U, NSA).
US laying flock #
The US table-egg laying flock stands at 312.0 million hens (USDA NASS Chickens and Eggs).
About this data: USDA NASS, Chickens and Eggs · Table-egg layers on hand, table eggs produced, eggs per 100 layers · National, by state · through Jul 2026