Hatching turkey eggs are confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists at the Louisville port of entry in Kentucky. Shipments of eggs, ready to hatch, have been seized three times this month at the port, as agriculture officials work to slow the spread of avian influenza. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
March 25 (UPI) — Shipments of ready-to-hatch eggs have been seized three times this month at a port of entry in the Midwest, as agriculture officials work to slow the spread of avian influenza, or “bird flu.”
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agriculture specialists in Louisville, Ky., seized 39 hatching eggs between March 6 and Thursday. The eggs, which contained the live chicks of game birds, racing pigeons or other birds where there is a market, are considered live animals and are highly regulated at U.S. borders.
“Our nation’s food supply is constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations, Chicago Field Office.
“These interceptions highlight the vigilance and dedication our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate, daily,” Sutton-Burke added. “They ensure the United States is safe from harmful diseases, which could affect our food supply.”
Fresh or raw eggs have generated a lot of attention due to the food staple’s skyrocketing cost, which producers have blamed on the latest outbreak of avian flu. Egg prices have doubled since January 2024, as egg producers claim accusations of price gouging are misguided and false.
While CBP has reported a 48% increase in raw or fresh eggs at northern and southern border ports into the United States compared to last year, the number of hatching eggs has also increased with an uptick reported as recently as last month at Kentucky’s port of entry, which is located at Louisville International Airport.
The seized hatching egg shipments arrived March 6, March 16 and Wednesday with the first two shipments from Turkey heading to New York and Nevada. The latest shipment arrived from Romania and was headed for Costa Rica.
Last year, Louisville CBPAS seized 25 shipments of 519 hatching eggs from Turkey, Belgium, Romania and Singapore.
