Egg Price-Fixing Probe Targets Top US Producers

The story behind sky-high egg prices may have less to do with sick chickens and more to do with the people selling them.

A federal grand jury in Texas indicted several major egg producers and their executives this week on charges of price-fixing, conspiracy, and wire fraud. The indictment, unsealed in the Eastern District of Texas, alleges that producers coordinated production cuts and shared confidential pricing data between 2020 and 2024, artificially inflating egg prices during a period when consumers saw retail costs more than double.

The case names Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the U.S., along with Rose Acre Farms, Hillandale Farms, and Versova Holdings. Cal-Maine said in a regulatory filing that it intends to fight the charges, calling the allegations unfounded.

Prosecutors allege the conspiracy operated through industry trade groups and direct communications among executives. The indictment cites text messages, emails, and meeting records showing producers agreed to reduce flock sizes and limit supply, then blamed the avian flu outbreak for the resulting price spikes. Egg prices hit a record $4.15 per dozen in early 2025, up from about $1.50 in 2020 before the alleged collusion began.