Despite recent consumer fears of tainted eggs, egg production is growing with an eight million egg increase since last August and an 11 million growth since July in California alone, according to the California Poultry Report.

“Production has been stable and good this year,” said Steve Gemperle of Gemperle Farms in Turlock.

In the Central Valley, Gemperle noted that he has not seen any big changes in the egg production this year, but so far so good.

“Prices have been down in the last month because of consumer fear of the recalled eggs,” he said.

Eggs contaminated with salmonella from Write County Egg caused over 380 million eggs to be recalled from over 13 different retail brands. But despite the recall scare, Gemperle said the “egg supply is very safe” and that the ranch that produced the recalled eggs is no longer dispersing egg shells.

With the increase in production in California, layers have increased by 1 percent from last month totaling 19.7 million but layers are down slightly compared to last August, according to the report.

U.S. egg production was also up this year by 2 percent totaling 7.74 billion eggs that included 6.64 billion table eggs, and 1.10 billion hatching eggs, which 1.02 billion were broiler-type and 73 million were egg-type. The U.S. layers also increased, up 2 percent from last year.

Turkey prices are also up this year at 66.3 cents per pound up 1.6 cents from July and up 15.2 cents from the year prior, according to the report.

But national raised turkey numbers are down by 2 percent from 2009 with only 242 million turkeys raised this year so far. California-raised turkeys stayed stable compared to last year with 15 million turkeys raised.

Egg prices are also up nationally this year at 62.4 cents per dozen in August compared to 9.6 cents in July, according to the report. From August 2009 to August 2010, egg prices nationally have increased by 3.9 cents.

To contact Maegan Martens, e-mail mmartens@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2015.