Getting a small-scale egg producer license

[BentWillow]

Does anyone have experience getting an egg producer license in their state? We have friends and family clamoring for eggs and we'd like to sell some to cover our costs but we don't want to get in trouble. The state of Tennessee sent us a bunch of forms as if we are operating a full-scale chicken house. We have a flock of 25 birds so I am hoping the state will take this in consideration and make it easy on us.

 

[GallowayFarms]

Hmmm. I live in East Tn over here in Knoxville. I sale to friends and family all the time and I don't have a License. You might want to call the State Ag. Dept. and make sure there isn't a dollar amount attached to needing that license.

Who did you get the paper work through? I will call the ag guy I know and see what I can find out.

I also have about 20 barred rock hens that I collect eggs from and sale to people I work with.

Good Luck and let me know what you find out.

Nick

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
the state department of agriculture has an email address to contact someone about licensing and it says this:

Egg License - A permit is required for all egg distributors selling eggs in Tennessee. Contact: Glenda Smead - [email protected] (615) 837-5151

you should definitely contact ms. smead. in my state, we only need a license if we sell more than $5k worth of eggs each year. TN might have a similar limit that they don't publicize on their ag. dept. website.

 

[GallowayFarms]

Ya I already called them. They are calling me back about the law or whatever kinda crap they want to dream up to regulate a back yard farm. Ya tax dollars at work.

 

[Miltonchix]

Find a cattle farmer, a pig farmer, etc and barter!
No taxes, no licenses, no hassels.

BTW as long as its family and close friends that you're "trading" eggs to , why worry? Unless you plan to open an egg store or sell to retailers I really don't think the state or Feds could care less.

 

[greyfields]

I got licensed as an egg producer/vendor in WA state. It was pretty easy. But, each state is going to be different on how they permit it to happen.

Your first phone call should be to your Extension office.

 

[BentWillow]

Ms Smead is no longer in the department but it's a guy named Ronald Murphy and I e-mailed him and told my story. Hopefully it'll be easier than the print requirements which include a water test and a septic test. I talked to the local health department and each test, if required is $200 each. Thanks to all of you for helping me out!

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Texas and Oklahoma only require you to sell from the property where the birds are kept, in order to sell without having permits. Oh, and you can't say they are graded because that falls under the USDA. The rules vary from state to state, best thing to do is read up on them. Most are available online via the state's ag division website.

 

[greyfields]

We can grade and size ours, but we elect to sell them as "ungraded and unsized". WSDA does the inspection on them, not the USDA in my case. You will sell your eggs just fine without grading or size.

Also, we would be exempt from selling directly from our house... but, we sell at a farmer's market, so we need our license in place. It's also cheap insurance... and yes, get some not-to-cheap business insurance wether you get a license or not.

 

[Anne]

Greyfields,

I live in WA too and I've been thinking about selling eggs at the farmer's market -- how much does it cost to get that license?