Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025
Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025 - Summary **What the bill does:** This bill would allow surplus eggs that were originally meant for hatching to be used in pasteurized liquid egg products sold for human consumption, without requiring them to be refrigerated first. Currently, these surplus hatching eggs cannot be used this way because they're stored at warmer temperatures (suitable for incubation) rather than being refrigerated as food safety regulations require. The bill would create an exemption allowing these eggs to be sold to "egg breakers"—facilities that process eggs into liquid egg products for food manufacturers—as long as the final product is properly pasteurized to kill bacteria. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects egg producers with surplus hatching eggs, egg processing facilities, food manufacturers who use liquid eggs, and potentially consumers who buy egg products (the bill is titled after lowering egg prices, suggesting lower costs could be a goal).
The exemption applies specifically to broiler hatching eggs—eggs originally intended to hatch into chickens raised for meat production. **Current status:** The bill (HR 2222) is currently in committee in the 119th Congress and has not yet been voted on by the full House. It was introduced by Representative Josh Riley, a Democrat from New York.
CRS Official Summary
Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025This bill permits unrefrigerated surplus eggs originally intended for hatching to be repurposed for use in pasteurized liquid egg products intended for consumption.Under current regulations, most eggs intended for consumption must be refrigerated within 36 hours of being laid. The bill would exempt from this requirement surplus broiler hatching eggs (eggs originally intended to be hatched and raised for meat) that are repurposed for sale to an egg breaker (a facility that sells liquid egg to food manufacturers).(Broiler hatching eggs are generally held at a warmer temperature than other eggs in order to facilitate incubation. Because these eggs are not refrigerated, current regulations prohibit the sale of any surplus broiler hatching eggs to egg breakers for use in liquid egg products. Liquid egg products distributed for consumption are separately required under current law to be pasteurized, or treated to destroy bacteria.)The bill also requires the Food and Drug Administration to revise the refrigeration requirement to permit surplus broiler hatching eggs held at temperatures suitable for hatching chicks to be sold to egg breakers for processing as liquid egg products.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.