Exhibit 18: Year-Over-Year Changes in Red Meat and Poultry Production

Source: Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, March 2023, https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/106119/ldp-m-345.pdf?v=1399.3

There is opportunity for expansion within the broiler industry in the region. Several integrators have been looking to add new facilities to increase square footage to keep up with demand. However, high interest rates challenge the industry. Construction costs, while lower than 2022, are still a concern for expansions. On the Delmarva peninsula, there are openings for new growers to enter the industry with existing poultry farms being sold by farmers looking to exit the industry.

In the layer industry, there could also be additional expansion, but it will be impacted by high construction and interest rates as well. While egg prices have eased up slightly in the short term, HPAI could continue to impact the price of eggs paid by consumers, although for the 2023 calendar year USDA ERS is projecting eggs will average 212.0 cents per dozen; as depicted in the table on the next page this is decline from prices realized in 2022.

Weekly average midpoint prices for New York eggs (wholesale, large grade A)