# Cage-free egg premium The national cage-free minus conventional large white loose spread, USDA, cents per dozen _Data through Sep 1, 2026 · source last checked Sep 1, 2026 · page revised Sep 1, 2026_ > Cage-free carries a 16.4¢/doz premium over conventional right now (45%): cage-free 53.0¢/doz vs conventional 36.5¢/doz, USDA, Sep 1, 2026. The cage-free premium is 16.4¢/doz, with cage-free at 53.0¢/doz and conventional at 36.5¢/doz. Cage-free rose 17.7% on the week but is down 75.9% year over year. ## The numbers | Period | Current | Prior | Change | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Week over week | 53.0¢/doz | 45.0¢/doz | +17.7% | | Month over month | 53.0¢/doz | 95.0¢/doz | -44.2% | | Year over year | 53.0¢/doz | 220¢/doz | -75.9% | ## About Cage-free egg premium The cage-free premium is what a buyer pays over conventional (caged) eggs for cage-free. It is structural and widening over time as state mandates and retailer commitments move demand, but it swings: when a supply shock lifts conventional prices, the premium compresses, and it re-widens as conventional eases. This page computes the premium as the difference between the two USDA national large white loose benchmarks, never a stored number. ## About this data - Source: USDA AMS Egg Market News, Daily National Shell Egg Index - Series: National cage-free minus conventional, large white loose - Basis: Loose - Geography: National - Unit: ¢/doz - Calculation period: 5-day weighted average, both legs - Last observation: Sep 1, 2026 - Update frequency: Daily (business days) --- Cite: Cage-free carries a 16.4¢/doz premium over conventional right now (45%), USDA national large white, as of Sep 1, 2026. The Scramble. https://the-scramble.com/cagefree/premium Canonical URL: https://the-scramble.com/cagefree/premium