The White House announced Thursday that it will host its Easter Egg Roll on April 21, even as the price of eggs skyrocket.
Traditionally, the White House uses real eggs for the event. In 2023, the Biden administration brought 30,000 eggs from a North Carolina farm for the roll. Aside from eggs, the event has ingredients in various dishes such as breakfast omelets, egg salad sandwiches and quiches.
Egg prices have soared the past several months partly because bird flu has ravaged the poultry industry. That’s resulted in a shortage of eggs throughout the country.
An Agriculture Department report released this week predicted egg prices will rise 41.1% this year, signaling prices won’t be coming down soon. That exceeds the 3.4% increase it forecast for all food prices.
The USDA said retail egg prices increased 13.8% in January after rising 8.4% in December. A dozen grade-A eggs can cost $4.95, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and have exceeded $10 in certain parts of the country.
On Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins detailed the Trump administration’s plan to increase the egg supply. The plan includes importing 70 million to 100 million eggs in the next month from three to four countries. In addition, she said her Department will find a way to repopulate the 160 million birds killed because of the avian flu.
An online lottery for free tickets to the South Lawn event, available to families with children 13 and younger, will run March 4-10.
The family-friendly event dates back to 1878 when it was started by President Rutherford B. Hayes. He greeted the families visiting the White House alongside his miniature schnauzer, Otis. President Gerald Ford added egg-themed dishes in 1975.
In a statement, the White House said President Trump and first lady Melania Trump “look forward to continuing this entertaining tradition and making it a truly memorable experience for all.”
• Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this report.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.