Breaking Eggs

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The financial toll of the worst U.S. bird-flu outbreak in history is soaring. About 10% of the U.S. egg-laying flock has been wiped out. The egg-supply squeeze is pinching profits for some food makers, and prices at grocery stores are expected to rise as retailers pass along the higher costs. Egg-industry officials say that producers will be reeling for years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allocated just under $400 million to cover claims from poultry farmers that have culled flocks to stem the spread of the disease.