Pou 2-5 (5-04) Egg Products National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released May 6, 2004, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on Egg Products call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Shell Eggs Broken Up 13 Percent Shell eggs broken totaled 160 million dozen during March 2004, up 13 percent from March a year ago. March 2004 contained 23 weekdays and four Saturdays, compared to 21 weekdays and five Saturdays in March 2003. During calendar year 2004, shell eggs broken totaled 448 million dozen, up 5 percent from the 429 million dozen broken in 2003. Total edible liquid from eggs broken in 2004 was 574 million pounds, up 5 percent from 2003. Data presented in this report were compiled from inspection reports of the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The best available data at time of publication were used. Shell Eggs Broken: Federally Inspected, United States, March 2003-04 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Period : 2004 Inspected Item :-----------------------------: as % of : Mar 2003 : Mar 2004 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 Dozen ---- Percent : Shell Eggs Broken : 142,471 160,365 113 : ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- Percent : Edible Liquid from Shell Eggs Broken : Whole : 120,532 132,012 110 White : 41,501 47,412 114 Yolk : 22,572 25,067 111 : Total : 184,605 204,491 111 : Inedible Liquid from Shell Eggs Broken : 17,493 18,577 106 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shell Eggs Broken: Federally Inspected, Cumulative, United States, January-March, 2003-04 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Period : 2004 Inspected Item :-----------------------------: as % of :Jan-Mar, 2003 :Jan-Mar, 2004 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 Dozen ---- Percent : Shell Eggs Broken : 428,656 448,078 105 : ---- 1,000 Pounds ---- Percent : Edible Liquid from Shell Eggs Broken : Whole : 345,082 356,517 103 White : 130,017 140,529 108 Yolk : 71,114 76,615 108 : Total : 546,213 573,661 105 : Inedible Liquid from Shell Eggs Broken : 52,197 51,484 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Data Sources: Data for the "Egg Products" report are obtained from Grading Volume Reports (Form PY-240) completed by inspectors of the Egg Products Inspection Division, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA. FSIS is responsible for administering a mandatory inspection program for egg products under the authority of the Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970. The Act and its associated Regulations require that all commercial egg breaking and processing plants operate under continuous USDA supervision. Reports are currently received from approximately 75 plants. Plant management provides monthly volume data to the resident USDA inspector at the applicable plant. Procedures and Reliability: FSIS reviews plant data for accuracy and completeness and provides NASS a data file. NASS reviews the data for unusual values. The egg products estimates are based on a census of all commercial egg breaking and processing plants, therefore, there are no statistical estimation and sampling errors. The next Egg Products report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on June 4, 2004. Subscription Information To subscribe to NASS reports or to order single copies, call toll free, 1-800-999-6779. You may write: ERS/NASS, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161.