In an effort to combat the rising prices of eggs, Sen. Chuck Schumer urged Congress Sunday to re-evaluate cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture budget.
Schumer said the spread of bird flu has already killed millions of birds, forcing egg prices to rise dramatically.
“There’s no question it will affect our bottom line. The cost of food is getting higher enough,” Schumer said. “Today is Father’s Day and lots of kids made breakfast for their fathers, but it cost a lot more.”
Schumer said the current agriculture department budget, which will go into effect in October, has about $500 million in cuts. He said the department needs that money for programs like developing better vaccines and to support measures to help farmers reduce the spread of the disease.
To make up for it, the money can come from a range of sources, like finding cuts in other parts of the budget or closing tax loopholes.
In the city, Schumer said, the average price of a dozen eggs is now $4.08.
“We’ve never seen such a large outbreak in avian flu, and such a corresponding increase in price,” Schumer said. “It’s gone up a record amount. It will go up a lot more.”
