Will The Bird Flu Actually Impact Utah’s Chicken Meat Prices?

Egg prices are scary high right now and there doesn’t seem to be a break coming anytime soon but the good news is that chicken is still affordable.  

Despite the bird flu having made a big dent in Utah wallets with egg prices, chicken meat is another matter. It looks like it’s going to stay affordable KSL News said.  

The reason that chicken meat isn’t being impacted like eggs is because there are stores of frozen chicken across the country, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said. So, chicken doesn’t have to be sold fresh whereas eggs have a tight expiration date and can’t be frozen and then sold.  

The likelihood that chicken meat will see a shortage or price increase in Utah is low to none.  

However, one thing to keep in mind is that there have been cases of the bird flu reported in the beehive state this February. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said that Box Elder County and Cache County have seen wildlife positive with the disease.  

This includes three red foxes, skunks, a mountain lion and 122 wild birds since 2022.  

The good news is that it hasn’t spread to any poultry farms in Utah so buying eggs or chicken meat locally is still safe (and probably cheaper).  

Can You Eat Chicken with Bird Flu? 

The chances of contracting bird flu from eating eggs or chicken are pretty low. The USDA said that properly preparing and cooking will ensure that the bird flu doesn’t spread, and food is safe to eat.