Bird flu outbreak forces mass chicken euthanasia in Wisconsin

Midwest grocery prices tick up as egg prices fall nationally, report says

From JSOnline:

Maia Pandey

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The cost of groceries has been ticking up in the Midwest, but there's at least one bright spot nationwide: egg prices have recovered after hitting all-time highs in 2025.

In January, Midwest grocery prices were up 0.4% from December 2025 and up 2.4% from a year earlier, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report. The increase comes after last month's report showed Midwest grocery prices remained stable toward the end of 2025.

Nationwide, the cost of food at home increased by 0.2% last month. That's down from a 0.7% increase in December 2025, meaning grocery prices rose at a slightly slower pace in January. Egg prices in particular were down by more than two dollars in January when compared to a year earlier.

Here's the latest on Midwest grocery prices, including why egg prices are finally dropping.

Are groceries getting more expensive in the Midwest?

Aside from fruits and vegetables, the price of all other Midwest groceries rose over the past year, according to the Consumer Price Index report released Feb 13.

In addition to Wisconsin, the Bureau of Labor Statistics includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and South Dakota in its Midwest region analysis.

Here's how much grocery prices changed last month in the Midwest:

• Cereal and bakery product prices dropped by 0.1% from December 2025 but were still up by 2.4% from January 2025
• Meat, poultry, fish and egg prices rose by 0.2% from December 2025 and by 3.8% from January 2025
• Dairy product prices rose by 2.7% from December 2025 and by 0.4% from January 2025
• Fruit and vegetable prices dropped by 1.6% from December 2025 and by 2.9% from January 2025
• Nonalcoholic beverage prices rose by 0.8% from December 2025 and by 2.1% from January 2025
• Alcoholic beverage prices rose by 0.5% from December 2025 and by 1.6% from January 2025

Egg prices coming back down after bird flu outbreak

Though meat, poultry, fish and egg prices were still up slightly in the Midwest, egg prices nationally are finally recovering after hitting record levels in early 2025 due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak.

The national Consumer Price Index indicates the average cost for a dozen Grade A eggs in the United States was $2.58 in January 2026, compared to $4.95 in January 2025. In March 2025, average egg prices hit a record high of $6.23.

Wholesale egg prices have also dropped nearly 90% over the past seven months, USA TODAY reported. Bird flu is still present in the U.S., but much of the egg industry is now facing an oversupply problem, with some farmers selling eggs at below production cost.

How much do Wisconsin residents spend on groceries?

Despite increasing grocery prices in the region, Wisconsin residents rank in the middle of the pack in terms of how much they're spending on groceries, according to a Feb. 12 analysis by WalletHub, a personal finance website

The report compared the cost of commonly purchased grocery items against the median household income in each state. In Wisconsin, residents likely spend 1.97% of their monthly income on groceries, or 27th-highest of all the states, WalletHub found.

The U.S. Census Bureau's median income data on Wisconsin says that would amount to about $1,526 annually, or $127 monthly, spent on groceries.

Mississippi residents tend to spend the largest portion of their income, 2.6%, on groceries, and Massachusetts spends the least at 1.51%, WalletHub reported.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/02/16/wisconsin-grocery-prices-are-egg-costs-finally-coming-down/88663822007/

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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza confirmed in Racine County

From The Journal Times.com:

Milana Doné

MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has identified a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard poultry flock in Racine County.

The DATCP reported eight infected poultry in Franksville. Birds at the site were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease, according to a DATCP news release.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) viruses are highly contagious and often fatal to domestic poultry. Caused by influenza type A viruses, the disease varies in severity depending on the strain and species affected.

The HPAI H5N1 virus has circulated in both wild and domestic birds in North America since December 2021. Since that time, the H5N1 virus also has affected other species, including mammals. To date, Wisconsin has not identified an H5N1 infection in dairy herds in the state.

The disease can be spread by contact with infected birds, commingling with wild birds or their droppings, equipment or clothing worn by anyone working with the animals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the threat to the general public remains low as there is currently no known person-to-person spread.

The DATCP urges all livestock owners to implement strong biosecurity measures to protect their flocks and herds from the disease, including washing hands, disinfecting equipment, restricting access to animals and separating new additions to the flock or herd for at least 30 days.

Poultry owners are asked, when possible, to keep their birds indoors.

When HPAI H5N1 is diagnosed in a backyard poultry flock, risk factors are evaluated and a 6.2 mile surveillance zone may be implemented, without movement restrictions for surrounding poultry premises, according to the DATCP.

To help producers determine if their poultry are located within an active control area or surveillance zone, poultry owners are encouraged to use DATCP’s mapping tool.

State law requires that all livestock owners register where their animals are kept. Registration helps animal health officials communicate with flock and herd owners during disease outbreaks.

To report increased mortality or signs of illness among domestic birds, dairy cattle, or other animals, contact DATCP by following the instructions on the Animal Disease Reporting webpage.

For updates about how the virus is affecting domestic birds in Wisconsin, and to find resources on protecting Wisconsin poultry, visit DATCP’s HPAI in Poultry webpage.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/article_9c587bff-b7e0-4d77-b113-7f7822fd0baf.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

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Two of We Energies' longest-returning falcons have died of bird flu

From JSOnline:

Maia Pandey

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Two of the longest-returning peregrine falcons to We Energies' nest boxes have died of presumably bird flu, according to We Energies spokesperson Alison Trouy.

The falcons, Brinn and Beasley, both nested at the Port Washington Generating Station. Brinn's body was recently found in the nest box, while Beasley stopped returning to the nest within a few days of Brinn's death, leading the company's falcon manager to believe Beasley has also died.

Brinn had nested there since 2014, and Beasley arrived in 2017. Together, they produced 22 chicks.

"While we are heartbroken over their loss, we know their legacy lives on in the dozens of chicks they brought into this world and the awareness they helped to bring to peregrine falcon recovery efforts across the state," Truoy said in an email.

We Energies has maintained peregrine falcon nest boxes on several of its power plants since the early 1990s, according to its website. Since then, more than 450 falcons have hatched at these nests — amounting to 20% of all peregrine falcons born in Wisconsin.

"There is a small silver lining," Truoy added. "We have had two new peregrine falcons take up residence at the nest box since Brinn and Beasley’s deaths, and we are hopeful that we will see the first eggs in the coming days or weeks."

Since late 2024, bird flu, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, has killed more than a dozen wild birds and thousands of poultry across Wisconsin. The current nationwide outbreak has been the largest, deadliest and most costly in history, according to federal officials.

Here's what to know about bird flu in Wisconsin, including what to do if you encounter a dead or sick bird.

What's the latest on bird flu in Wisconsin?

Since the outbreak's onset in early 2022, bird flu has killed or forced the culling of more than 160 million birds nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in March.

In Wisconsin, officials have detected avian influenza in commercial poultry flocks in Burnett and Barron counties and backyard flocks in Kenosha and Sheboygan counties. The Sheboygan outbreak was reported April 10 in a flock of nearly 40,000 birds.

And, while tracking deaths among wild birds is more difficult, hundreds of birds likely infected with the virus have washed up dead on the shores of Lake Michigan in recent months.

While Wisconsin is along among 13 states to report human cases of the H5N1 virus, there is no imminent threat of the virus to Wisconsinites, according to the state Department of Health Services. The state identified its first and only human case of the H5N1 virus so far in a worker at a Barron County turkey farm in December 2024. The farmworker had relatively mild symptoms and was on a road to full recovery with antiviral medications, officials said later that month.

How to prevent bird flu in Wisconsin

Here are a few tips to minimize your risk of the virus, according to Wisconsin DNR:

• Do not handle sick or dead wild birds.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with a wild bird or contaminated surfaces, including bird baths and feeders. Wear disposable gloves when cleaning bird feeders and baths. Use common disinfectants, such as detergents, 10% bleach solution and alcohol, to inactivate the virus.
• Cook all meat, including wild birds and poultry, thoroughly to 165° F to kill organisms and parasites. Find more information about food safety tips here.
• Hunters should sanitize all tools and surfaces when handling, cleaning and preparing wild birds.

How to report a sick or dead bird

If you see five or more sick or dead birds in one area,  you can report it to the DNR by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling 608-267-0866. Be ready to note the number of animals; the species, such as Canada goose; if they were sick or dead; the specific location where you saw them and the county; and your contact information.

You can find prevention information for farmworkers or those who've had contact with birds, dairy cattle and other animals on the CDC website. 

More: With bird flu circulating, is it safe to leave up bird feeders?

Paul Smith contributed to this report.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/10/2-we-energies-peregrine-falcons-in-wisconsin-dead-of-bird-flu/83023926007/

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Racine County restaurant owners react to rising egg prices

From The Journal Times.com:

Caroline Neal

In Glenview, Illinois, eggs cost $8.79 on Jan. 10. In the Midwest, egg prices have increased 102.6% compared to February 2024.

Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press

RACINE COUNTY — Local breakfast diners and cafes in Racine County are feeling the impact of rising egg prices because of the avian flu outbreak.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in the United States, egg prices have increased 96.8% since February 2024, with consumers paying around $5.89 for a dozen of large, grade A eggs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wholesale egg prices declined “sharply” this month but are predicted to increase 57.6% in 2025.

Last year, egg farmers nationwide lost 38.4 million birds because of avian flu, USDA data showed.

“It’s a lot for restaurants to absorb, particularly in smaller cities like Racine,” said Corey Oakland, owner of Red Onion Cafe. “Eggs are such a heavily used product. For us, as a breakfast restaurant, that impacts certain things.”

Data indicates the Midwest has seen a similar increase: Up from $2.90 in February 2024, grocery shoppers paid $5.89 for a dozen of large, grade A eggs last month, marking a 102.6% increase in the region.

Both Jordan Bashayreh, manager at Meli Cafe Pancake House and Restaurant, and Michael Scamarcia, owner of Douglas Avenue Diner, said increasing egg prices are affecting their businesses.

“The margin is not there anymore, but we cannot also increase prices on consumers and customers,” Bashayreh said. “So we drop down in our margin to keep the price reasonable for customers.”

Some restaurants, like Denny’s and Waffle House, announced surcharges in February to keep up with rising prices.

For Scamarcia, the rising prices were “the cost of doing business.”

“As a consumer, I don’t want to be nickeled and dimed to death,” he said.

Bashayreh, too, said he did not consider a surcharge because it would have to apply to most menu items.

“Pancakes have eggs, French toast has eggs, crepes have eggs, omelets, skillets — the main ingredient here is eggs,” he said.

Though Oakland said Red Onion recently increased its prices to keep up with inflation, the restaurant did not add a surcharge for eggs.

“I don’t believe necessarily in some of the fees I’ve been hearing about because in the end, for sure it hurts and it’s an increase,” he said. “But when you look at it in the biggest pictures, if you have one egg on something, it’s not an incredible expense.”

Restaurant owners like Scamarcia, Oakland and Bashayreh buy eggs through a distributor.

Each week, Scamarcia orders around 4,500 eggs, and Bashayreh said he receives at least 9,000 eggs with each order.

Scamarcia has noticed a decline in prices: The week of March 24, 15 dozen eggs cost about $75; the week before, the same amount cost around $120.

For Oakland, ordering eggs was “almost like a game.”

With each order, the prices would increase at least $10, eventually getting to $130 and $140 per case.

But, he’s also noticed a decrease in his last two invoices.

“It looks like maybe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel at this point,” he said. “Hopefully it goes down just as quickly. It’s one of those things sometimes where prices go up super, super quick, but it takes a long time to get them back down.”

Even with prices decreasing, however, Scamarcia said he is still paying more than double what he paid before they increased.

“Still have to contend with that,” he said. “It’s still higher than what we were paying.”

Bashayreh echoed this sentiment, noting that when egg prices have risen previously, they’ve never fully come back down.

According to Bashayreh, eggs were around $10 in 2019 and 2020.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, prices rose to $70-$90 per case. Prices later decreased to $40-$50, he said, but did not return to $9.

Bashayreh said he is expecting a similar trend this time around.

“It’s not going to go back like before the bird flu,” he said. “It’s going to go down a little bit, but it’s not going to go like before.”

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/business/article_bd343aa9-ac22-4bc6-aab6-d01a6c166a9b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

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