Pou 2-5  (12-08)

Egg
Products

National Agricultural Statistics Service
USDA
Washington, D.C.

Released December 31, 2008, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service 
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For 
information on "Egg Products" call Toby Paterson at (202) 720-0585, office 
hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

                  Shell Eggs Broken Up Slightly from Last Year                  

Shell eggs broken totaled 160 million dozen during November 2008, up slightly 
from November a year ago, but 13 percent below the 183 million broken last 
month.

November 2008 contained 20 weekdays and 5 Saturdays, and 2 holidays.  
November 2007 contained 22 weekdays and 4 Saturdays, and 2 holidays. 

During calendar year 2008 through November, shell eggs broken totaled 
1,885 million dozen, up 3 percent from the comparable period in 2007.  To 
date, cumulative total edible product from eggs broken in 2008 was 
2,465 million pounds, up 3 percent from 2007.

Data presented in this report were compiled from Food Safety and Inspection 
Service (FSIS) inspection reports.  The best available data at the time of 
publication were used.

                    Shell Eggs Broken:  Federally Inspected,                   
                         United States,  November 2008                         
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        :        :        :        :Percent of 
                                        :  Nov   :  Oct   :  Nov   :-----------
             Inspected Item             :  2007  :  2008  :  2008  : Nov : Oct 
                                        :        :        :        :2007 :2008 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        :------ 1,000 Dozen ------    Percent  
                                        :                                      
Shell Eggs Broken                       :159,595  183,158  159,669   100   87  
                                        :------ 1,000 Pounds -----    Percent  
                                        :                                      
Edible Product from Shell Eggs Broken   :                                      
  Whole                                 :142,160  159,702  136,777    96   86  
  White                                 : 43,183   56,769   44,289   103   78  
  Yolk                                  : 22,566   28,465   26,964   119   95  
                                        :                                      
  Total                                 :207,909  244,936  208,030   100   85  
                                        :                                      
Inedible Product from Shell Eggs Broken : 18,230   20,639   18,221   100   88  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              Shell Eggs Broken:  Federally Inspected, Cumulative,              
                    United States, January-November, 2007-08                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        :           Period            :  2008   
             Inspected Item             :-----------------------------: as % of 
                                        :Jan-Nov, 2007 :Jan-Nov, 2008 :  2007   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        :  ------ 1,000 Dozen -----     Percent 
                                        :                                       
Shell Eggs Broken                       :  1,838,083      1,885,135       103   
                                        :  ----- 1,000 Pounds -----     Percent 
                                        :                                       
Edible Product from Shell Eggs Broken   :                                       
  Whole                                 :  1,546,269      1,572,839       102   
  White                                 :    557,358        582,699       105   
  Yolk                                  :    296,098        309,450       105   
                                        :                                       
  Total                                 :  2,399,725      2,464,988       103   
                                        :                                       
Inedible Product from Shell Eggs Broken :    209,640        213,659       102   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Reliability of Egg Product Estimates                      

Data Sources:  Data for the "Egg Products" report are obtained from Egg 
Products Volume Reports (FSIS Form 5200-11) completed by inspectors of 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 60 plants in the United 
States.  Plant management provides monthly volume data to the resident USDA 
inspector at the applicable plant.

Revision Policy:  Revisions are generally the result of late reports received 
by FSIS from plants.  Revisions for the previous month and year-to-date 
totals are published in each monthly release.

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.

                            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.