As the United States continues to grapple with a massive egg shortage, authorities are reporting an increase in the number of eggs confiscated from travelers at the southern border. The price of a dozen eggs has soared, making them a scarce commodity on retail shelves, largely due to the ongoing impacts of Avian Influenza, or bird flu.
This current epidemic has exacerbated an already troubling situation that began two years ago when a similar outbreak led to a nationwide egg shortage. However, during that time, eggs were not seized in large numbers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Joaquin Luken, executive director of the Smart Border Coalition, noted during an interview on Monday:
This is probably the worst it’s been in terms of the bird flu. It’s common practice for people to bring groceries or medications across the border.
Luken urges travelers to declare any eggs they may inadvertently attempt to carry into the U.S. “You won’t get to keep the eggs, but you’re more likely to receive a warning,” he explained. In contrast, failure to declare such items could lead to fines of up to $10,000.
CBP emphasizes that travelers found with undeclared eggs will be subjected to secondary inspections, delaying border crossing times and shifting valuable resources away from their primary mission of border protection.
