Illegal to Advertise Nest Run Eggs as "Fresh" or "Local"?

[Outta Here]

Sounds great! That's what I meant when I said sometimes you go by conscience and the spirit of the law instead of the letter. It's still technically illegal to sell/trade eggs in used cartons (or wrongly marked cartons) to anyone, friend or neighbor, whether they care about that law or not. But I'd do what you do, too. My daughter does the same with her extra eggs. She takes them to the shop in used cartons and lets her employees take what they want.
For example, copyright law: I would never buy a piece of sheet music and then give a copy to a friend--to me that's robbing the composer/arranger of a sale. But I would make digital copies and multiple paper copies of sheet music I paid for for my own use. And I perform songs on my harp at the local coffee shop without getting written permission for each song on my set list, too! Common sense spirit of the law....

 

[cmom]

Many years ago I went to a seminar. There we were told we could sell eggs but they had to be refrigerated at at least 45ºF which is I believe nation wide. Most cartons have it on them somewhere. People do sell their eggs on the roadside usually in coolers. Also our address must be on the cartons. I have mine in a beverage cooler with a glass door so customers can see the eggs.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh, but I would live here if they made me sell eggs in a sock! Anyway Michigan law states you have to put this on the label: "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department" to sell unregistered or unlicensed under the backyard producer exemption:

(10) This act does not apply to a person who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens.
(b) Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers.
(c) Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department.".
(d) Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(3f...g.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-289-7114

Here are all the state laws concerning the sale of eggs:

http://nerous.org/state-laws-regulations/egg-laws-by-state/

I've been selling eggs without labels for awhile now. I did label as Heritage Breed, & Fertilized eggs.

I only have 35 laying hens, lots of other people also sell eggs in our location.

I also reuse cartons, & use already used ones.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Oh, but I would live here if they made me sell eggs in a sock! Anyway Michigan law states you have to put this on the label: "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department" to sell unregistered or unlicensed under the backyard producer exemption:

(10) This act does not apply to a person who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Is directly responsible for producing eggs from fewer than 3,000 hens.
(b) Only sells eggs directly to consumers or first receivers.
(c) Only sells eggs in containers that each bear a label stating "packaged in a facility that has not been inspected by the department.".
(d) Does not sell eggs through the internet or by mail order or consignment.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(3f...g.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-289-7114

Here are all the state laws concerning the sale of eggs:

http://nerous.org/state-laws-regulations/egg-laws-by-state/

Do I have to use that label with 35 laying hens? If so, where do I get the labels, or do I have to Wright it on the cartons?

 

[Outta Here]

I'd guess the vast majority of small chicken raisers don't even know about such laws, much less pay attention to them. I've sold eggs to my neighbors starting 44 years ago and never even thought to ask.
I did, however, follow the law as concerned selling raw goat milk and cheese--big trouble in that if you don't! Once I gave a taste of cheese to a visitor and the next day he came back with someone I'm convinced had the power to arrest me, and he tried his hardest to get me to sell him some in front of her to entrap me, trying to shove money in my hand. I never sold cheese, ever. It was definitely a weird experience...

 

[cmom]

Many years ago I went to a seminar. There we were told we could sell eggs but they had to be refrigerated at at least 45ºF which is I believe nation wide. Most cartons have it on them somewhere. People do sell their eggs on the roadside usually in coolers. Also our address must be on the cartons. I have mine in a beverage cooler with a glass door so customers can see the eggs.

View attachment 2775535

I have a large trash can for people to leave their egg cartons. I have it tied so when we get a good wind it won't blow over. We are on top of a hill.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

I do what I want and my expectation is to be harassed by the gov.

Most of the time you won’t even ping their radar.

 

[Outta Here]

My dad was a civil engineer for the city and once told me--when I wanted to build a one-room cabin in the woods without indoor plumbing or a permit--"Forgiveness is easier to get than permission."
Without a permit (California), we built our 14x22 cabin with outhouse, no electricity, hand pump and gravity to wood burning hot water heater over stock tank, wood cookstove, gas refrigerator, and oil lamps. Lived there with our three children eight wonderful, idyllic years and sold the place in 1985. Last time I looked at it, it still had no permits, and the county hadn't followed through on their threats to bulldoze it.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Apparently I can't advertise as Fresh, or any of these either.
(7) A person shall not by himself or herself or his or her agents sell, offer, or expose for sale, advertise, or in any manner represent for sale as strictly fresh, hennery, new laid, best, grade A, number 1, fancy, special, extra, selected, direct from the farm, or under any word, figures, symbols, or description of similar import, any eggs which are not fresh

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Because its good practice anyways, I date my eggs (OK< my washable, sanitizable flats are coded). So when I set up to offer eggs for sale, the date they were pulled from the nest is displayed.)

Whether or not that's "fresh" is something the buyer can judge for themselves.