HOUSTON, Texas — The State of Texas will send 444,000 eggs to food banks in the greater Houston and Southeast Texas region following a court-approved settlement that resolved a lawsuit over alleged egg price gouging during the COVID-19 disaster.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on January 15, 2026 that Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. and Wharton County Foods, LLC will provide the eggs under an Agreed Final Judgment and Injunction approved by the court, ending a case the state filed in April 2020.
Under the settlement, the two companies must donate a total of 2.16 million eggs to food banks across Texas, including about 37,000 dozen eggs designated for the Houston and Southwest Texas areas. The eggs will be distributed to residents who rely on food assistance.
The companies have 120 days from the effective date of the judgment to complete the required donations.
The lawsuit alleged that egg prices rose by about 300% after Governor Greg Abbott declared a COVID-19 disaster on March 13, 2020, with the state claiming eggs were sold at excessive prices during the emergency. The Attorney General’s Office said the conduct could violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
The settlement includes a 10-year injunction restricting how the companies may price eggs during future declared disasters. The companies did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the agreement.
