Selling eggs... organic, free range, etc

[Isadora]

Looks like you would be considered "on farm"

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Looks like you would be considered "on farm"

Ok! Thanks!

 

[Isadora]

Ok! Thanks!

Lol, you're quick to reply! I was about to edit my post to add I'm not sure about hand delivering, though. That would be taking the eggs off your property to sell them.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Lol, you're quick to reply! I was about to edit my post to add I'm not sure about hand delivering, though. That would be taking the eggs off your property to sell them.

Oh, ok! Maybe it would be best to sell just from my house, instead of delivering them.

 

[Sally PB]

You do not have organic eggs. You feed organic feed, it's not the same.

@rosemarythyme Can you explain what the difference is, please? Thanks.

 

[Brooks_]

@rosemarythyme Can you explain what the difference is, please? Thanks.

Organically fed is just that. Organic is everything.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

Organically fed is just that. Organic is everything.

Beside feeding organic feed, and keeping your chickens drug free what else would you need to do to say you have organic eggs?

 

[Brooks_]

Beside feeding organic feed, and keeping your chickens drug free what else would you need to do to say you have organic eggs?

Every last thing. No synthetic or persistent pesticide. No PT lumber. It keeps going.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As a small producer, its not the FDA or the USDA you need to worry about, though the Federal requirements for "Organic" certification are onerous, and intended to keep competition out of the market.

What you need to worry about it State law. I see you aren't in CA, that's good for you. CA's section 17200 "Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act" is heavily litigated, and can result in a truthful claim being found to be deceptive under the Act - damages, as the Act is grounded in fraud, can be a multiple of actual, or they can be statutory minimums - a minimum FAR higher than most people's actual losses. Which is why its so often litigated, because its financially advantageous to do so.

The bad news is that Washington has a similar, but less litigated, statute.

If you aren't prepared to PROVE your birds are organically raised, don't advertise them that way. Sure, you can get away with it - you may get away with it for a long time - but it only takes one pissed off person (or competitor) to ruin years of work with litigation.

As to other words, "cage free", "pasture raised", "free range", etc -this summary may help.

https://www.eater.com/2019/7/17/206...ence-cage-free-free-range-pasture-raised-eggs

A quick keyword search can bring up the actual USDA language and code sections. i.e., https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/09/13/usda-graded-cage-free-eggs-all-theyre-cracked-be

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/defa...marked Product Label Submission Checklist.pdf

etc.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme Can you explain what the difference is, please? Thanks.

The chickens not only have to be raised on a organic diet, but the land they're raised on also must be organic certified, and there's additional rules in place for their housing and keeping as well that don't apply in conventional egg farming. Like if hay is used as bedding, it has to be organic. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Poultry - Guidelines.pdf

To be certified organic you need to pass inspection.