FACT FOCUS: Egg shortage breeds chicken-feed conspiracies

An Associated Press article quoted Yotam Ophir about how the egg shortage is breeding chicken-feed conspiracies online. The conspiracy that feed companies are deliberately trying to sabotage backyard egg supplies found an audience thanks to a broader distrust of government officials and experts, Ophir said, adding that it is common for people to look for scapegoats during periods of social anxiety. The claims join other recent conspiracies alleging a coordinated effort to undermine the nation’s food supply. “The official narrative is kind of reminding us that we are sometimes vulnerable to the randomness of nature,” Ophir said.