ABOVE: Many people may have noticed an increase in egg prices or a shortage in supply and these are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

FAIRMONT– While egg prices have been fluctuating over recent years, they’re expected to hit their highest amount, and stay high, in 2025. The increase in cost stems from the ongoing impact of avian influenza.

It’s true that eggs are not the only food item to greatly increase as inflation is apparent across the board. However, they seem to have one of the biggest price jumps.

According to data from the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2025 pork and veal prices are predicted to increase 1.5 percent, dairy products are predicted to increase 1.3 percent and fresh fruits are predicted to increase 0.7 percent. Egg prices are expected to increase 20.3 percent in 2025.

The price increase and/or supply decrease is reflected at some local grocery stores and restaurants.

Edie’s Restaurant just this week put out a notice that due to the egg shortage and rising prices, there will be a temporary addition of 25 cents per egg on orders with a limit of three eggs per person. Owner Dalton Martinson stressed that the increase is only temporary but admitted that he doesn’t know how long it will last.

As a primary breakfast establishment, almost all of the dishes have eggs, even the pancake and French toast use them in the batter. Edie’s also serves up fried egg sandwiches for lunch.

Martinson buys eggs by the case. Each case has 15 dozen eggs and he goes through about 50 dozen eggs a week. Most recently, when he ordered eggs, he noticed the cost was more than double per case than it was at this time last year.

“I’ve never seen anything else have a jump like this,” Martinson said, adding that the cost of eggs is higher than what he saw during peak Covid times.

“I’ve never had to do a temporary increase on anything before,” said Martinson.

While it’s only been in effect for a few days, Martinson said he hasn’t heard any negative feedback and he thinks most people will be understanding.

He has not heard from his food distributor that they’re in short supply of eggs, it’s just that the cost has greatly increased.

“I can always get them, it’s just, what am I willing to pay for them,” Martinson said. “They’re the cornerstone of what I make so I can’t go without.”

The Ranch Restaurant also relies heavily on eggs. Owner Kevin Schmitz said he’s seen prices increase in recent years but that they’re at the most expensive he has seen.

“It’s double the price. I can remember when we were getting eggs for less than a dollar a dozen,” Schmitz said.

While the cost is a concern, he’s more worried about potential shortages from suppliers.

“How do you do breakfast without eggs,” he said. “We make a lot of things homemade so we use a lot of eggs for meatloaf and desserts. It affects not only breakfasts but many things on our menu.”

He hasn’t heard of an urgent shortage from his supplier but said the price tells him it could be close to be an in-demand thing.

HyVee has a sign up by eggs at its store that reads, “retailers across the nation are experiencing a decrease in egg supply due to the ongoing impact of avian influenza. Our offerings may be limited while the poultry industry works to recuperate.”

Neither HyVee nor Fareway could comment any more at the local level on whether they’re having a hard time getting eggs.

Some people opt to raise their own chickens and get eggs from them. In the city of Fairmont, the ordinance in Chapter 4-Animals, Sec. 4-3 reads in part that “no person shall keep more than a total of five (5) chickens, fowl or poultry, per recorded lot in any zoning district outside of the agricultural transition zone. Roosters are not allowed to be kept in a residential zone.”

It also says that “no chicken coop, run or other structure where chickens, fowl or poultry are kept shall be maintained closer than thirty-five (35) feet from any residence, other than the residence occupied by the owner or occupant of the premises upon which such chickens, poultry or fowl are kept.”

Because there’s an ordinance, residents aren’t required to get a permit and thus the city has no way of knowing if there’s been more people keeping chickens in recent years. Only five are permitted in city limits but outside of the city, people are welcome to have more chickens.

Alecia Driscoll and her husband Dan live just outside the city and have about a dozen chickens that they got last spring.

“We wanted to get fresh eggs and teach our kids about homesteading stuff,” Alecia said.

Since their chickens started laying eggs this past summer she said she hasn’t had to buy any eggs from the store, which has been nice. She did say that the chickens lay fewer eggs in the winter months when it’s darker and colder, but that a lamp is in the coop to give them more light and help with production.

“This is our first winter with them but they’re doing pretty good,” she said. It’s nice to have fresh eggs and know where they come from.”

Those who have chickens or other poultry no doubt know about avian influenza.

Brian Nyborg, a supervisor with Windom Area Wildlife, which is under the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said, “you don’t want to be around or touch a bird that’s dead and then go out and tend to your chicken flock and run the risk of them being exposed to avian influenza.”

For this reason and for the safety of others, the DNR has advised the community to not touch any of the dead geese, or any other raptors, that are on the lakes in Fairmont and around Martin County.