Short Takes – 2-27-25

Egg prices expected to rise more than 40 percent in 2025: USDA. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “The bleak outlook stems from the fact that roughly 18.8 million commercial egg layers were affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in January, the highest monthly total since the outbreak began in 2022, the USDA said.”

Food Price Outlook, 2025. ERS.USDA.gov report. Pull quote: “Retail egg prices increased by 13.8 percent in January 2025 after rising by 8.4 percent in December 2024. Retail egg prices continue to experience volatile month-to-month changes due to an outbreak of HPAI that began in 2022. HPAI contributes to elevated egg prices by reducing egg-layer flocks and egg production. About 18.8 million commercial egg layers were affected by HPAI in January 2025, the highest monthly total since the outbreak began in 2022. Egg prices in January 2025 were 53.0 percent higher than in January 2024 and surpassed the previous peak prices in January 2023. Egg prices are predicted to increase 41.1 percent in 2025, with a prediction interval of 15.0 to 74.9 percent.”

U.S. considers increasing egg imports amid skyrocketing prices. NewsBreak.com article (from CBS News) Pull quote: “She did not state which countries the U.S. would turn to for egg imports. Turkey plans to export 420 million eggs to the U.S. this year, according to the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey.” 8 billion eggs produced in US in January, down from 8.33 billion the year before; 420 million in a year is lost in the rounding error.

White House says follow agency heads, not Musk, on employee directive. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) informed agency leaders on Monday that employee response to an email asking for a recap of what they accomplished last week is voluntary and that failure to do so will not be considered a resignation.”

FDA cancels meeting to update next season's flu vaccines. CBSNews.com article. Pull quote: “"Because the vaccine is grown in eggs, for the most part, it requires six months to produce. So March is six months before September, which is when these vaccines roll out," said Offit.”

Doctors report upticks in severe brain dysfunction among kids with flu. ArsTechnica.com article. Pull quote: “Between 2010 and February 8, 2025, 1,840 children died of the flu. Of those, 166 had IAE [influenza-associated encephalopathy] checked off as a complication. IAE was most prevalent in children aged 2 to 4 but affected children in all age groups under 18. More than half of the cases (54 percent) had no underlying medical conditions, and most (80 percent) were unvaccinated against the flu.

Texas-based company that made historic soft touchdown on the moon launches high-stakes lunar excursion. CNN.com article. Pull quote: “With IM-2, however, the stakes are higher. The Athena lander comes equipped with several smaller robots it will deploy as well as a drill expected to bear down into the moon’s surface, scouring for water ice.”