
Food News
High Egg Prices Reveal Rising Food Insecurity in Washington
High prices of food, housing, and gas reveal the food insecurity in Washington state and how the food pantries are requesting food donations.

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Leavenworth- Eggs are required in the UV MEND’s Community Cupboard. The food programs manager Rachel Bishop revealed that the prices of eggs have been soaring high since the beginning of 2024 which in turn is putting pressure on the nonprofit to serve more people in the community than it was doing before.
Bishop said, “It was $12 per five dozen, and now it’s $21 per five dozen. It is something that our shoppers have told us they want…And it’s just such a great source of protein for folks that many families, many cultures use in their cooking.”
The reason behind the soaring prices of eggs could be Washington’s cage-free egg law passed in 2019 but came into effect this year in January. The law requires that all eggs sold in the state should be free from cage-free hens having access to scratch areas, dust bathing areas, perches, and nesting.
Another reason for the higher prices of eggs has also been attributed to the fluctuations of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that since February 2022, the virus has affected 85.87 million birds in the U.S. The USDA also confirmed that 1 commercial case would affect 1 Million chickens in Washington state in 2022.
Bishop said, “It’s a great law for the chickens. They have more humane care. But the price increase along with everything [being] so expensive right now with inflation…This is just another thing that people have to think about when they’re shopping and feeding their families. It’s challenging”.
The Community Cupboard is using its own funding to purchase eggs from Safeway. Still, Bishop feels that she has to research to find cheaper options or apply for grants to maintain the pantry’s bi-weekly purchase of around 225 dozen eggs and fulfill the needs of a thousand individuals they see every month.
Plain Pantry Co-Director Mari Lynn Warthen revealed that they have noticed the fluctuating egg prices but have not experienced the financial pressures due to its smaller size and partnerships. The food pantry carries out its operations using a single-wide mobile home that serves around 30 households every week. The pantry can stock its shelves with donations made by partnerships alone which in turn allows it to purchase gg occasionally.
However, Warthen has noticed the increased community’s need for support during all these recent years. It was two and a half years ago that she along with her husband started running the food pantry and the number of households using the pantry has increased from 20 to 30.
Warthen said that she is sure that the cost of housing and rent has soared high. The price of gas has also affected the people living there. The increase in gas, the jump in food costs, and housing time have affected the basic cost of living of people.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) revealed that the increasing need has been experienced statewide. WSDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program revealed that there were nearly 11 Million visits to food pantries in 2023 from 2.6 million visits in the earlier years.
Similar spikes have been noticed by the Upper Valley MEND as well. In 2023, the Community Cupboard served 370 more households and had signed up hundreds of households at the beginning of 2024 itself.
The Community Cupboard has prepared a list of donations they would require from the people. People are encouraged to donate both home-raised and grocery-bought eggs. You can donate non-perishables and money donations to Plain Pantry.
Article Sources

The content provided in this article draws inspiration and includes quotes from various reputable sources, including news articles, government data, and interviews. Affordable Housing 411 strives to ensure accuracy and credibility, but the information presented may be based on some external sources. We encourage readers to refer to the referenced materials for more in-depth insights and verification.
Caldwell Taylor. “High egg prices reveal rising food insecurity in Upper Valley”. The Leavenworth Echo, April 7, 2024,
High egg prices reveal rising food insecurity in Upper Valley – The Leavenworth Echo
Last Updated: September 20, 2021