Sen. Jack Reed pushes federal investigation in to price jacking of eggs

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Nationally, the price of eggs has gone up in the last year. What used to be about $1.78 for a dozen at the end of 2021, rose to over $4 by the end of 2022. 

Sen. Jack Reed is turning everyone’s attention to local egg producers, who somehow have been able to maintain lower prices. 

Reed said it proves to him that the idea egg prices are rising from inflation is a “phony narrative.”

“Keeping the prices affordable, unlike major companies across the country who’ve increased the prices by 138 percent,” Reed said. 

Reed spoke to the owners of Baffoni’s Poultry Farm in Johnston Monday morning. They said their 7,000 egg-laying hens and over 1,000 turkeys are housed on 80 acres of land. 

The owners said it only costs around $2.00 to make a dozen eggs, so there’s no reason for a dozen to be around $5.00 today. 

“Their customers need to be able to buy them, afford them, and eat them,” Reed said. 

While the prices have been fluctuating, and are now being questioned, the loyalty between producer and consumer on a local level has been stronger than ever. 

Owners of Baffoni’s said, “Our customers, their loyalty to us, is the same loyalty we return to them, by not making the eggs $12 a dozen.” 

Reed said he’s now trying to expose how the price of eggs really shouldn’t be as high as they are. 

“We’ve asked the FTC and the Department of Justice to look into it,” Reed said. 

Reed is hoping this example can help push a change nationally, asking for that federal investigation into price gouging.