Rockford, IL – February 17, 2016 – The February issue of Egg Industry magazine released updated rankings and data for the Top U.S. Egg Companies. The top 62 egg producers in the U.S. had an estimated 281.8 million hens on December 31, 2015.
The exclusive Top Egg Company survey is conducted annually and the results reported are comprised from a combination of company-submitted information and estimates made based on input from publicly reported information and industry sources. The two largest egg producers remained the same in this year’s survey with Cal-Maine Foods and Rose Acre Farms holding down the first and second positions with 36.38 and 25.59 million hens respectively. Michael Foods climbed to the third spot in the rankings after its parent company, Post Holdings, acquired Willamette Egg Farms bringing the company’s hen total to 13.45 million.
U.S. egg producers lost about 40 million layers and pullets as a result of the avian influenza outbreaks in the Upper Midwest in 2015, but many had begun restocking affected farms by year’s end.
“The avian flu outbreak reduced hen numbers in the U.S. and shuffled the company rankings,” says Terrence O’Keefe, Content Director – Agribusiness. “However, egg producers will be adding cage-free capacity and restocking farms in 2016.”
More than 50 percent of the reported U.S. egg industry expansion in 2016 will be in cage-free systems.
In addition to the Top U.S. Companies listings in Egg Industry and the Top Poultry Companies database, further data can be found in the Market Data section of WATTAgNet.com. Here, online users can download spreadsheets of data with graphs of additional egg production and consumption statistics. Free website registration is required to view data and download spreadsheets.
The digital edition of Egg Industry is available at www.eggindustry-digital.com and the online database can be reached at http://www.wattagnet.com/directories/80-the-world-s-leading-broiler-turkey-and-egg-producers.
About WATT Global Media
WATT Global Media provides exceptional business content and solutions to the agribusiness industry. As an industry innovator, WATT Global Media has connected buyers and sellers in the poultry, pig, animal feed and pet food industries through its media channels for nearly 100 years. www.WATTGlobalMedia.com
# # #
Contact:
Stacy Kiejko, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
o. +1.815.966.5575 | e. skiejko@wattglobal.com