Kirkfield, Ontario - thinking about becoming an Egg Inspection Station/Inspector...thoughts?

[NTBugtraq]

I have not started my chicken farming yet, but intend on trying to get a farm designation by selling eggs and Shiitake/Oyster mushrooms next year (...to do so, I must gross $7000/year from produce). My estimates suggest this is feasible, but being able to sell graded eggs greatly enhances the chances of getting a decent revenue, but doing so with an official quota is costly.

I have yet to find an egg inspection station nearby, so I thought; "What if I simply inspected my own eggs?" I contacted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ask the questions. The answers were not ideal, but also not overly cumbersome. I may become a registered Egg Inspection Station by:

1. Building a structure to house the inspection activity and storage of graded eggs. It cannot be in my home (they say because that would make it difficult for them to inspect the facility). Essentially, it does not appear to be more complicated than building a shed that is air tight; with ventilation, plumbing, and electricity. It needs a fridge capable of storing graded eggs, a candling facility, and some means of disposing (or storing seperate from graded eggs) eggs which do not pass the grading process. I have to be able to disinfect the facility, and keep records regarding the grading (or non-grading as the case may be.)
2. I have to learn how to properly grade eggs.

I don't want to make it sound overly simple, but if I can achieve the two points above, I may be allowed to be a registered facility. There will be a fee to become registered too, and I don't know how much that is yet.

My questions for you all are these:

1. Has anyone else done this?
2. Is it cost prohibitive (e.g. is it cheaper to take your small flock eggs elsewhere than maintain such a facility?)
3. Are the inspections of the facilities by CFIA cumbersome?
4. Do you inspect other farmer's eggs? If so, is that profitable?
5. What do you do with the eggs that do not pass grading? (I understand they can be used in pet food.)
6. Has anyone also tried to become a poultry meat inspector?

Cheers,
Russ

 

[Lou in Wabos]

Are you aware that you can sell ungraded eggs from your "farm gate" without having to have them graded or going through all of that trouble?