CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — With record high prices and sparsely stocked shelves in grocery store egg sections, local suppliers in Punta Gorda say more customers are turning to them for their eggs.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than 20 million egg laying hens were killed or culled as a result of a bird flu outbreak sweeping flocks nationwide. The supply chain disruption led to record high egg prices, with the national average for a dozen reaching nearly $5.
But while commercial egg farms struggle, customers are flocking to local suppliers like Francis Farm in Punta Gorda.
“I make a joke that I'm selling eggs before they are laid the week before,” said Jason Francis. ”I have had so many customers just wanting eggs every week and I have to turn them down because I only have so many.”
Francis said when you buy locally sourced eggs you’re not only supporting a small business, you’re also likely buying a higher quality egg- something customers pay a premium for at the grocery stores.
“I always recommend getting local eggs from free range chickens,” said Francis. “When you think about it, the ones you get from the grocery store go through a process to make sure they’re sterile, there’s chickens laying eggs in these big barns or crates that have never seen daylight. I think you’ll get a better quality egg out of anything local.”
David Kalin owns and operates Kalin’s Farmers Market, where more than 20 local small farms sell their products, including eggs.
“There’s been a huge uptick in the past two weeks,” said Kalin. “Like everyone else I make the trip to Walmart for other items and I've seen people all but get into fights over the few eggs on the shelf. Our phone has been ringing off the hook, ‘do you have eggs? Can I come out and get eggs.’”
He said customers are realizing the advantages of buying local eggs, and many are becoming repeat customers.
“I think people are waking up to the fact they have an alternative to the grocery store for eggs,” said Kalin.
Both men, despite selling eggs, said they encourage anyone who is able to, to invest in raising their own hens to produce eggs for themselves.
“If more people had backyard chickens we wouldn't have that craze in the grocery store where people couldn’t find eggs and everyone is looking for eggs and prices skyrocketed, you would just get it from your neighbor,” said Francis.
“At the end of the day, what it does for you not only physically by providing quality food for yourself and your family,” said Kalin. “But that feeling mentally that you’ve just done something to sustain yourself, it's great and it goes beyond just the food side of it.”
In Charlotte County, residents are allowed to keep backyard chickens so long as they apply for a permit and comply with guidelines for the number of chickens and coop sizes. Chicken keeping is not permitted however within Punta Gorda’s city limits.
