Selling eggs for consumption in Florida?

ivrunafowl

Hatching
10 Years
Jan 20, 2010
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Does anyone here sell their eggs in the State of Florida? and what permits or ways as far as the law is involved?
I have less then 100 hens and I was at a new farmers market here in central florida this week. The state of florida food inspector told me that I could not sell my eggs with out a whole slew of permits and approvals. Any help please.
Thanks
 
Thats strange the he didn't even tell you how to go about getting those permits?! Check with Florida's agriculture, and see where that will take you. I live here in Florida too, but don't sell my eggs, or I'd have an answer for you, sorry.
idunno.gif
Someone should come along soon, though. Good luck. By the way,
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from S. Florida! Glad you joined us!
 
My local green market asked me to sell my eggs on Saturdays but I didn't want to label my eggs as "pet food" nor as "not for humane consumption" (because of course that would be misleading because my hens provide me w/the most delicious & most nutritious eggs possible :eek:). So, I started researching how to "legally" sell my eggs. The Florida statue only states that FDA & USDA regulations & licensing applies to sellers, dealers, handlers etc... raising more than 3000 layers and selling more than 30 dozen eggs per week. This begged the question, what if I wish to sell less than 30 dz eggs/wk? Because there is no state statute for less than 3000 layers and/or less than 30 dz eggs/wk, Florida determines the regulations by "rule". Bu rule, we are permitted to sell less than 30 dz/wk if; a) the eggs are first washed in a 3 compartment sink which is b) in a free standing facility which conforms to Florida Building code & has running cold/hot water, once dried c) the eggs are displayed on carton flats only and d) a sign displayed in proximity stating "unclassified eggs not candled for quality or graded for size" and you have e) secured a mobile food permit. I have my eggs, I will take them to a friend's restaurant w/a 3 compartment sink (this address to be listed), to be washed (even though I know washing is what degrades the shells), dried, I will display them on a carton flat, w/the sign in proximity and as people wish to purchase my 1/2 dz or 1 dz eggs, they will tell me how many, and will pack the carton in front of them, they hand me the cash, and off they go w/their carton. I will sell the cartons for $.25 or they can bring their own cartons e/wk. The permit application is "Request for Initial Inspection & Food Permit Application" #DACS-14221 amended 6/05. The permit is $140. If you wish to candle & grade your eggs, you can do so, but I don't want the additional inspection nor costs associated for the equipment. If you own agricultural property, you can sell fresh kill chicken & less than 30 dz eggs "at your gate". There is also this rule but I don't know enough on it to comment beyond that, since I don't own agricultural property. Good luck!!!
 
Okay, this is stupid, but I plan on selling eggs to friends, but the friends-of-friends thing comes up and I don't know those people really well.... I had an idea of putting a sticker on the egg carton that says "Empty egg cartons $3 each" and then telling people that I can put some free eggs as free gifts inside the cartons - LOL. I don't think there are regulations against giving something away as a gift, right? LOL. I don't have a lot of eggs to sell - just a dozen here or there... but it was just a thought. I find that everything in FL for the small business is a pain in the butt anyway.
 
Okay, this is stupid, but I plan on selling eggs to friends, but the friends-of-friends thing comes up and I don't know those people really well.... I had an idea of putting a sticker on the egg carton that says "Empty egg cartons $3 each" and then telling people that I can put some free eggs as free gifts inside the cartons - LOL. I don't think there are regulations against giving something away as a gift, right? LOL. I don't have a lot of eggs to sell - just a dozen here or there... but it was just a thought. I find that everything in FL for the small business is a pain in the butt anyway.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kate - Clandestine chick-owner to Clementine (BO), Maggie (BR) and Sookie (EE)...sshhhh... in Central FL. Visit my Gardening Without Skills blog for my gardening and chicken exploits. Come to my Etsy store and view my "Guess What? Chicken Butt" tshirts!

Too funny; My dad once purchased some "Holiday Hardware" for his computer - in the 80's - It was free gift with the purchase of the T-shirt which retailed for $1000.

It was a nice t-shirt!

I like the idea of selling the carton for $3 and filling it with free eggs.

Caroline​
 
Sad Sad Sad This is Florida regulations:
I can't believe we can't sell a fresh egg without going through all this mess!!!!

Your eggs must be washed, rinsed and sanitized before they can be offered for sale to the public. You may sell them one of two ways; graded or ungraded.


Graded eggs must be candled to check for the quality of the shell as well as the yolk and white inside. There must be no cracks anywhere on the shell. The air cell at the top of the egg must be no larger than 1/8th of an inch to be AA quality. The eggs must also be weighed according to the following specifications for the weight a dozen:


Jumbo 30 oz. or more

Ex. Large 27 oz.

Large 24 oz.

Medium 21 oz.

Small 18 oz.


Ungraded or unclassified eggs can be sold to the public, but not in dozen containers. They must be sold on flats and be identified as unclassified by a sign or placard displayed with the eggs. An acceptable placard is attached above for your convenience.


Also attached above is a Bulletin providing guidance for small egg producers developed by our Department and the University of Florida. I trust that you will find the information in this Bulletin useful.


Finally, you will need an Annual Food Permit issued by our Department. The application can be found at:


http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/onestop/forms/14221.pdf


Finally, as we discussed, our Egg Law is designed to cover the million egg a day operation and not the backyard flock. There is one break we give folks that is not mentioned anywhere above. We do not require a bathroom in your egg processing facility as long as only family members are processing the eggs. You may use the bathroom facilities in your home. If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Paul M. Raynes
Program Manager, Poultry and Egg Grading
Bureau of Food and Meat Inspection
CHARLES H. BRONSON, Commissioner
FL Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
3125 Conner Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650
[email protected]
(850)245-5539
 
chickenmamalp - this is for someone with a small backyard flock too? someone who might only sell a couple of dozen a week max? Insane.

Help me out someone - if washing your eggs removes the natural bloom and makes them more prone to spoilage and bacteria, why do they make you wash them for sale?
 

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