"You better be careful selling farm eggs, 'they' may get you!!!!!"

[lolita117]

So I go to the vet today to take a couple of my puppies, I have lots of dogs so they know me fairly well. Before I leave I asked the receptionist if I can bring my brochures and/or business cards for country eggs by to leave on the countertop.

Apparently, she doesn't eat anything like that because she went on this big spill about how I need to be careful because I could get in trouble for selling a “raw product.” So this “joe” waiting to see the vet jumps in talking about how “selling country eggs needs to be kept on the down low, because ‘they’ may get me but as long as no tells on me that I’ll be alright.” Are people crazy? I told them that I’m not selling to grocery stores, just individual people. So the receptionist jumps in again saying again, that I’m selling a “raw product” therefore the “law” still applies to me.

So my question is WHAT LAW? WHO IS GOING TO GET ME?

I already tried to do some research and I couldn’t find ANYTHING except I need to have a best buy date on my eggs or a laid on date. I gather my eggs every day and put the date I gathered them on my labels. I don’t understand people, if you don’t like country eggs I don’t really care if you buy them or not but to try and tell me that I don’t need to sell them because I could get in trouble. Everybody in the country always assume that if you’re from the city you have no common sense. I think the common senseless people are EVERYWHERE. And the worse ones are the ones that live in rural areas because they think they have it! I’ve lived on a farm my whole life and I’ve never heard of anything when it comes to selling country eggs. People just get on my nerves!

So if you have encountered this same thing, I would love to hear your story or if you know of a law. I live in Kentucky (if there is a law)

 

[GardenerGal]

It would be a good idea to contact your state department of agriculture or your county cooperative extension service to get the skinny on any requirements for selling eggs.

Where I live, almost every aspect of living has regulations up the wazoo, but we can still sell eggs at farmers' markets and farm stands or whatever. A lot is done beween neighbors -- I give away loads of eggs to family and friends -- but it's not like we have to do it in the dark of night.

So check with your state ag service and find out. It beats guessing or listening to people in veterinary office waiting rooms. They don't always have the complete story.

 

[mulewagon]

Right, and if you find out it's okay, deal with your vet directly - he can instruct his staff

 

[HLAC]

KY small producer rules. Your state is pretty easy but there's still more to it than just a 'best by' date.

http://www.kyagr.com/consumer/ri/documents/smallproducersguide.pdf

"Eggs are listed on the hazardous food list by the United States Food and Drug Administration."

 

[Southwind]

State Ag depts are cracking down big time on anyone selling raw milk, it could come from that. In fact, I believe that there are *new* laws on the books, recently passed, that would allow anyone to be arrested for darn near anything.
I give away eggs too, and use some for barter. If I were to sell for cash, I would be very discreet.

 

[lolita117]

Thanks for sharing this. I read through the whole thing. And I'm alright. The only thing is if I sell more than 60 dozen a week I'm considered retail. Right now I'm not even hitting half the 60 mark in a month and even with my flock expansion this spring the most I could produce in a week would be 35 dozen, so again I think I'm alright. Another thing does say something about do not reuse carton. I know it may not mean much but I only use foam cartons and I wash them whenever people return my cartons and after 2 or 3 uses I chuck them. But if I were to go to a farmer's market and sell I would only use brand-new cartons. Most of my customers right now love my eggs and save their cartons for me. I think for anybody that is skeptical about sanitation of country eggs, no one is making them buy them and they can go to the grocery store and buy battery cage hen eggs. I really don't care. I just wish people would stop running their mouths before they talk, it really makes them look ignorant...

KY small producer rules. Your state is pretty easy but there's still more to it than just a 'best by' date.

http://www.kyagr.com/consumer/ri/documents/smallproducersguide.pdf

"Eggs are listed on the hazardous food list by the United States Food and Drug Administration."

 

[GardenerGal]

My friends and family save egg cartons for me to refill for them, too. It works great that way, natural recycling. But if I were going to sell at the farmers' market, I'd use new cartons. There are online businesses that do nothing but sell everything needed to produce and sell eggs, including egg cartons and even customized labels with your farm name to stick on them. One is called eggcartons.com (the perfect name of course) which used to have printed catalogues and possibly still does though ordering online is such a convenience.

 

[lolita117]

I ordered some from one of those website, couldnt remember which one. But I have brand new egg cartons. Hardly anybody will save me their cartons but the ones that do, I'm greatful for it. Once I buy the carton and put the labels on them I have about 0.60 in the carton itself.

My friends and family save egg cartons for me to refill for them, too. It works great that way, natural recycling. But if I were going to sell at the farmers' market, I'd use new cartons. There are online businesses that do nothing but sell everything needed to produce and sell eggs, including egg cartons and even customized labels with your farm name to stick on them. One is called eggcartons.com (the perfect name of course) which used to have printed catalogues and possibly still does though ordering online is such a convenience.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Some states you cant even give your eggs away others you can sell freely

 

[lolita117]

Well there is a lady that lives down the road from me and she has been selling country eggs for years, she even has a sign on the road. So I know you can sell them in Kentucky.