While big agricultural companies are ripping off consumers with one hand, they are taking taxpayer-funded bailouts with the other. The U.S. Department of Agriculture gave Cal-Maine $22 million in avian flu relief last year, and gave millions more to other major egg producers. Under an indemnity program, the department provides monetary relief to compensate farms that destroy animals in response to disease outbreaks like avian flu. USDA has made around $1 billion in such payments to agricultural producers since 2022.