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

[Saveria]

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

Yeah, some "organic" eggs are not even high quality eggs since the birds aren't pastured properly. People can totally tell the difference because of how the yolks look and taste with pastured birds.

That was the kicker, that farm that was being dishonest had terrible eggs since they weren't rotating pasture enough. The co-op told me that when our small collective eggs are there, no one will buy the big farm eggs until all of ours are gone. It took me weeks before I had seen what the head woman did for labeling because 20 dozen would be bought up before the afternoon when I could get there.

 

[Kiki]

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!

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-list-allowed-and-prohibited-substances

 

[Kiki]

Organic doesn't necessarily mean no pesticides.

 

[Saveria]

Organic doesn't necessarily mean no pesticides.
View attachment 3475870

That is true. It feels like a funny grey area to me, since permethrin is a synthetic that mimics a natural source.

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

Isn't that just saying permethrin has certain acceptable tolerances in general agriculture? It's a synthetic version of pyrethrin (making it a pyrethroid). That EPA page isn't related to organic.

 

[Saveria]

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-list-allowed-and-prohibited-substances
View attachment 3475865View attachment 3475866View attachment 3475867

I read the national list, but I didn't see permethrin listed in the livestock section. Is it listed under a different name?

In the ag. section I saw insecticide soap is allowed, and I believe those have permethrin sometimes.

 

[Kiki]

Isn't that just saying permethrin has certain acceptable tolerances in general agriculture? It's a synthetic version of pyrethrin (making it a pyrethroid). That EPA page isn't related to organic.

I read the national list, but I didn't see permethrin listed in the livestock section. Is it listed under a different name?

In the ag. section I saw insecticide soap is allowed, and I believe those have permethrin sometimes.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-list-allowed-and-prohibited-substances

Click on the red circled list and then do a search for the word permethrin.

 

[Saveria]

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-list-allowed-and-prohibited-substances

Click on the red circled list and then do a search for the word permethrin.View attachment 3475947

Ah, I see. I was looking on the first page, but I found the article/list that you were showing above. It doesn't say OG on that list, but if the national list is only about that, so I am assuming it pertains to OG certification.

 

[BeefQuesoritto]

https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-list-allowed-and-prohibited-substances

Click on the red circled list and then do a search for the word permethrin.View attachment 3475947

I did do that. But when you did your search on permethrin, you didn't bring up anything in the national list, you brought up something from the EPA. Permethrin's not on the national list.

 

[Saveria]

Mmm... The plot thickens!

I decided not to sell to the co-op for a month or so, just to avoid anyone who does really care about it. I would rather be clear with people, and it seems murky, so I will just wait.

One of my neighbors who buys from me already said he couldn't care less. Funny enough, he is an organic farmer . He told me that the "certified organic" approved products often are the ones whose companies have paid for the process to get OMRI approved, and that it doesn't always mean they are more benign, or that the non-organic ones are more harmful, but is more just about money and regulation.