USDA retail mandates?

[Euphillia]

Curious to know if anyone has come across this situation. I lost a hen last week and went to my local somewhat big box local farm store and they have all the chics in lockdown with a sign that says the USDA says the chicks cannot be handled until time of purchase. Fair enough, probably better for the chicks too. But then they flat out refused to allow me to pick out my birds saying it was FEDERAL LAW that customers cannot touch the birds until out of the store.

I didn't buy birds. I called the second store where I was again told it was Federal Law that I couldn't handle the birds until I was out of the store and not permitted to choose. The reason? They cited a huge salmonella outbreak last year and it was mandated that they could no longer be handled.

I have not heard of this. I have googled it 50 different ways and cannot find any such law. They refused to give me the actual law or where it could be found.

Is this happening to anyone else?

Christine in Colorado

 

[Odelia]

My local feed store has a sign that says to not handle the chicks, but they do let you pick out your birds to buy. So no not having that problem here.

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

Same, might just be a state thing and the managers/workers are confused. We have a new local law that they can't sell flying mallards anymore. You ask a worker and they will say it's a state mandate, when it's clearly not as I've been to other stores (same chain) in other towns that sell them no problem.

 

[ivan3]

Directive might have originated with USDA/APHIS (but the decision to implement is under the purview of the Individual State's Dept's. of Health). However, CDC is keeping track.

Recent efforts by CDC and state departments of health and agriculture include working with feed stores across the country to improve the safety of live poultry displays, where historically children have been able to directly handle day-old chicks and ducklings. Now, many feed stores are introducing fencing and barriers so that children and other customers can look, but not touch, the birds unless they are purchasing them.

http://www.cdc.gov/24-7/protectingPeople/salmonella/index.html

Truthfully, I prefer to point out the birds I want and let the employee pick them up. I'm more concerned with multiple human disease vectors having handled and infected the poultry.

That said, if one is `concerned' in one's own home/backyard? Just give it up and `go bubble boy': http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/salmonellosis.htm

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

Directive might have originated with USDA/APHIS (but the decision to implement is under the purview of the Individual State's Dept's. of Health). However, CDC is keeping track.
Quote: Uhg that stupid salmonella handout (the second link you posted) was brought up during a city meeting in our old home town when some people were trying to get chickens allowed. It caused all sorts of drama about disease risks. Like a couple hens in a backyard is going to be more of a risk than a giant egg operation. As far as I know they never did get chickens allowed.

 

[ivan3]

ImpulsiveFarmer wrote: Uhg that stupid salmonella handout (the second link you posted) was brought up during a city meeting in our old home town when some people were trying to get chickens allowed. It caused all sorts of drama about disease risks. Like a couple hens in a backyard is going to be more of a risk than a giant egg operation. As far as I know they never did get chickens allowed.

When these sorts of `concerns' sic were brought up in Columbia, MO., during the hearings on Chickens in the City limits. It was simply brought to the attention of the assembled that it was perfectly legal to hang & gut one's deer right there in one's front yard (if that's where the tree with a good limb happened to be). No actual law preventing one from leaving the guts on the lawn until they started to decompose in a manner that was objectionable to neighbors downwind.

Chicken ordinance passed.

That said, when there are outbreaks, Congress immediately goes right up USDA/APHIS/CDC's butts for not doing enough (read up on the 2008 `great tomato murder'). `Yeah, we've been cutting your budgets, but that's no excuse...' (the Salmonella originated on a jalapeno operation in Mexico - but by the time the outbreak source was ID'ed, taxpayers got hit with support payments to tomato producers as millions of tomatoes were not bought and rotted away).

 

[Euphillia]

Ya I'm all for keeping the little boogers away from hands that could harm and unless you are buying you don't need to be handling. I just cannot believe they feel so inclined to say federal law prohibits it instead of just simply standing up and saying no touching.