Selling or giving eggs away - Reusing store egg cartons o.k?

[dogkahuna]

Re-using cartons is a no-brainer. Our egg customers are happy to return them!

 

[Cyneswith]

Check your local ordinances. In our state, you can't re-use cartons (people do, but it isn't legal), and you can't use cartons with a store or brand name that does not belong to you.

 

[chickencheeper]

My friends and family have been saving grocery store egg cartons for us. I have about 15 so far and my chickens are still 1 1/2 - 3 months away from laying. When we finally do get enough eggs to sell the extras, is there any reason I shouldn't use the used egg cartons given to me from the grocery stores?

We’re in the same situation except out of our girls(6 of them) only 2 have started laying

 

[Abriana]

My basement has huge boxes filled with egg cartons people from my church give me. I’m overflowing. I give the eggs away at my church and I guess people think they’re returning the favor by drowning me with egg cartons! Lol

 

[PirateGirl]

Depends your local laws as well as labeling requirements.

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm new here, so please forgive me for digging up an old post, but there is more to be considered in this than opinion. Please refer to your state's department of agriculture for your local guidelines on this issue. It would be a shame to lose your birds or have a heavy fine levied against you over a 30-50 cent egg carton, or ruin local egg sales for everyone due to not following regulations, whether you agree with them or not. My state has a regulation specifically prohibiting the use of used cartons for selling eggs. The following link has a link to each state which should take you to what you need to know about selling your eggs. It is not the laws and regulations that make it more difficult to run a farm, it is the people who have no standards and don't abide by the laws that cause more unnecessary laws to be put in place which makes the problem worse. Don't make it more difficult for everyone else by not abiding by the standards of your state. If one person sells bad eggs from their local coop then word will get out and cause people to be fearful of buying local, it happens.

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

 

[TRAVIS KELLEY]

Re-using cartons is a no-brainer. Our egg customers are happy to return them!

You'll want to scroll down to the section titled "Containers" in the link at the bottom. I am a firm believer in recycling and repurposing/using whenever and wherever I can, it's just a part of farm life. However, where there are laws to be abided by so as not to make it more difficult on other farmers, and to be sure I can continue to operate without scrutiny I may bring on myself by unlawful practices, I will render unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Your state has safe handling regulations too, as do most, how you treat those regulations is up to you. I'm just trying to provide proper information beyond opinion so people can be aware they do have regulations and the minute someone gets sued for passing along eggs in a used carton because they get blamed for the food poising from somewhere else, the law will not be on their side.

https://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Eggs/EggInspection.aspx#Containers

 

[PirateGirl]

I'll add this here for CO too.

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/aginspection/egg-producers

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Selling Fresh Eggs handout April 2015.pdf

 

[dogkahuna]

Here's something else to chew on...most of the laws regarding food packaging have been lobbied for by Big Ag/Big Food. The huge monied corporations that mass produce factory chickens, etc., want no competition from small producers because they can't compete with the quality offered by small producers and they don't want the little guy cutting into their profits.

The notion that they are looking out for the safety of consumers is secondary.

If you handle eggs properly, they can't be contaminated by a cardboard carton.

 

[black_dove2]

I love reuse repurpose but I would wonder about the name of an egg produce's labeling/brannding if I had a roadside stand or sign. Otherwise I'm all for it