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

[TRAVIS KELLEY]

We are a small time hobby farm that sells scores of eggs. We are located in FL.
We are required to place a lable on our cartons stating NOT USDA INSPECTED OR GRADED.
We basically have a steady stream of REPEAT buyers. The same folks who have been returning weekly/bi weekly. We really don't go out of our way to advertise to take on more customers.
OUR SYSTEM:
Mostly our eggs are stored refrigerated in FLATS. When our regulars come they almost always bring ample cartons. We load them up accordingly and return them to owner. A perk to that system is that the owner of the cartons keeps them clean! We have had others who just donate and give us a bag full and some people are in the habit of cracking open an egg and placing the empty dripping shell back in the carton! We trash them if we receive one.

Our donation cartons are placed spread out on a table in the sun, visually inspected for yoke. Then we have a spray bottle filled with 60% Listerene / 40% water. We mist the cartons and sun dry them.
We print labels out with of printer with our farm name, address, phone number and of course.. Not GRADED or USDA inspected.. and of course... Thanks for supporting our family farm.
They are stacked up in sealed cardboard boxes waiting to be put into service.
We don't sell to stores or set up at the local farmers market. We have been blessed to have a steady stream of faithful followers who return because we offer a high quality product at a low price from not having to charge extra for brand new containers. That extra 28-50¢ off the sale, makes a huge difference in our neck of the woods.

Your state regulations are a little more lax on this than some, so you are GTG for the most part on reusing cartons.

 

[TRAVIS KELLEY]

Where are you folks getting egg cartons for 30 cents?

I looked on eggcartons.com and for any kind of small quantity, they're a buck.

Even at qty 400, they're like 50cents each.

Are you buying in huge quantity, or is there some other supplier?

I can walk in any Tractor Supply right now and get them for .49 cents each no matter how many I buy. They will be even less in the spring during chick days when they have pallet loads of them sitting out.

Here is a link for .40 cent cartons if you order 150, .35 each for 250, .30 cents if you order max bulk.
https://www.eggcartonsonline.com/products/egg-1031?variant=44907610186

 

[RinzHens]

I avoid the issue by giving my extras away to the local firemen, animal shelter staff, and friends. Neighbors get them too to avoid any loss of love over duck noises or chicken fussing. Many of us only have a few birds. I have six laying hens and three laying ducks. May get quail in spring. This is for us. Fun and responsibility for the girls. I reuse cartons and most save them for me. Some I’ve bought. Some are store brand. Large duck eggs come in a basket or storage container. Can’t find cartons to fit them. Many tell me, sell your eggs. The grief of all posted here isn’t worth the eggs I produce. We get around three dozen chicken and 1-2 dozen duck a week. I won’t eat that many but really that’s not sale production either. Hobby’s aren’t cheap! Lol

 

[Pilot007]

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/

K Karen