Can I Sell Eggs as "OG" While Using Permethrin?

[Saveria]

Hi everyone,

I was going to check here because I was having a hard time finding this info online. Does anyone know if you can still call your eggs organic if you are using permethrin? I can just ask the neighbors that I sell to about their comfort level, but we also sell to a collective that supplies a co-op. I just don't want to be lying to people, and I was hoping to get info on what is legal. I couldn't find permethrin listed on the USDA website as allowed or not allowed, and maybe it varies by state? You can let me know if you have any know-how.

Thank you!

 

[Brooks_]

Hi everyone,

I was going to check here because I was having a hard time finding this info online. Does anyone know if you can still call your eggs organic if you are using permethrin? I can just ask the neighbors that I sell to about their comfort level, but we also sell to a collective that supplies a co-op. I just don't want to be lying to people, and I was hoping to get info on what is legal. I couldn't find permethrin listed on the USDA website as allowed or not allowed, and maybe it varies by state? You can let me know if you have any know-how.

Thank you!

Are you otherwise certified organic?

 

[Saveria]

No, it is common practice in Vermont to say "organic eggs" if you are feeding organic feed, but we aren't a big enough producer to pay for the certification. I was just trying to figure out if organic certification would allow permethrin since selling at the coop makes it seem more high stakes, like I could make someone mad if they found out.

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

I don't think pyrethroids (family permethrin is in) are allowed, just pyrethrin. I'm not one who cares if something's organic or not, so I may not be your target audience. But I wouldn't turn my nose up at permethrin. I use it on my hiking clothes all the time.

 

[Saveria]

Thanks. Yeah, they say it doesn't leave a residue or get in the eggs, so I am wondering if I should care, but I don't want to deceive people.

 

[Brooks_]

You would still be able to say "fed organically"

 

[Saveria]

Yeah, totally. In my area there is a big-for-Vermont egg farm that actually lied about feeding organic for a while, too, with no repercussions, except being trashed talked behind their back about it. I am 100% fine with conventional eggs, especially if the hens are getting a pretty good life, but it is the deceiving people to fetch a higher price that seems wrong.

I'll ask the woman running the co-op and see what she is thinking (she was (understandably) one of the trash talkers, so she may have an opinion).

Thank you for your help!

 

[Isadora]

You would still be able to say "fed organically"

This is a good suggestion.

Personally I would feel ripped off if I found someone was selling organic eggs and then discovered they didn't disclose they were using pesticides.
Now that might not bother everyone, but most people who are looking for the organic term would care.

 

[MyParadiseFalls]

We are in North Carolina and have no problem selling eggs at seven to $10 a dozen and our hens are not typically fed organically. We don’t false advertise at all, and claim for hens to be fed organically, but I will tell you we have around 200 to 300 hens on a 3 acre pasture and rotate them out onto other pastures regularly

 

[Saveria]

This is a good suggestion.

Personally I would feel ripped off if I found someone was selling organic eggs and then discovered they didn't disclose they were using pesticides.
Now that might not bother everyone, but most people who are looking for the organic term would care.

Yeah, I think you are right.