Why would one need a candling license to sell eggs to be eaten?

[elf]

My disabled husband was looking forward to selling a few freerange eggs at a fairly small local farmers market (here in Georgia). My brother, who is a stickler for following regulations and sells fruit/veg. to a big Atlanta co-op, says we are supposed to get a candling license. Why? We do have roosters, so I suppose most eggs are fertile, but if I gather daily and store in the fridge, is there a need? I am new to chickens and don't have a clue about candling. Thought it was just something you do when hatching out chicks. Occaisionally, I see a red dot in an egg. Does this freak people out? Does anyone come around to these markets and check for candling licenses?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I don't know about your local laws, but you can find out on your state ag site. Here, as long as the eggs come from your own farm, you can sell them wherever you want. The tiny little blood fleck comes from when the egg is being formed, it doesn't have anything to do with the eggs being fertile. If I were you, I'd tell bro in law to stick to his veggies and mind his own beeswax!

 

[pdsavage]

I know here in Missouri you can only sell eggs from you home,unless you have a license.
I would contact your local extention office,cause the egg people can and will fine you.I know all stores that sell eggs have to get a special license just to sell eggs in the store even my little local gas station....

http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Fi...ements for Licensing a Small Egg Producer.pdf

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Every state has a different set of regulations regarding what you need to do to be able to sell eggs off the farm ranging from the fairly reasonable to the ridiculous.

The candling requirement is so that you can grade your eggs which is a matter of the size of the air cell, shell quality, and blood spots inside.

There's a fella in Georgia who has been down this path already. Here's a link to his blog.

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2008/5/25/egg-candling-inspection.html

.....Alan.

 

[elf]

Thanks, Alan for the info. abt. candling. Thought it was just to check for chicks in the eggs.Yeah, I found that Ga. blog last night, and was very disheartened when I read the whole thing including the part before the part you sent. As is typical in Ga. gov., when the gal who wrote that blog finally found someone who could find a list of the requirements for small egg sales, they could only find one person who knew how to candle and he was fixing to retire. So, basicly. no one had been checking/reinforcing any rules since the small time farmers got wiped out by big operators. Now that she has stirred their nest, it sounds like they have renewed their interests in enforcing candling license requirements. That was written in 2008, so don't know how strict they've gotten. OK, so learning how to candle sounds doable. BUT the candling license requires more: a washable walled (concrete?) room to be used only for candling/storing eggs. The room must have hot/cold water sink (they did require 3 sinks but decided that's too strict), a refrigerator, a table, and can't have toilets in there, so I would assume no other things. So I guess my laundry room is out bec. of appliances, besides it's too small, has exposed wiring, and would have to have sink added. Right now I can't even afford to gravel my drive. So much for snatching this week's 5 doz.extra eggs out of the fridge and hauling to the local market. My husband was looking forward to that, as he's now partially disabled and loves to talk to lots of new people. Guess I'd better plant lots of extra tomatoes. Don't think they regulate them at all. In Ga. we can legally sell eggs here at home, just didn't want to be bothered with strangers stopping by right now. You've all seen Deliverance, right?

 

[firedove]

most people get around the eating egg selling laws by selling them as hatching eggs at public markets. Hatching eggs are not regulated and you can't control what people do with them after they buy them so if they happen to eat them it's not your fault. Another thing people do is mark their dozens as "mixed grades" if they don't know how to grade the eggs or don't want to be bothered. Just some thoughts.

 

[elf]

Thanks!Not a bad idea! Although some city folks here would be afraid to eat them labeled hatching eggs. Now I remember reading somewhere, maybe on here, the idea of selling 3.00 egg cartons containing free eggs, as I think there are no regulations on gifts; at least not until the gov. comes up with some. In order to sell my wonderfully eggladen lemon meringue pies I would need a seperate kitchen, then yet another seperate plumbed room for candling eggs to sell. This hobby could entail a LOT of sinks!

 

[elf]

Just sold my first eggs - 5 doz.- at another person's yard sale . I labeled them ungraded freerange hatching eggs and everyone was fine with it. And didn't flinch at the 3.00/ doz. price. Someone there said Atlanta mkts. can't stock enough and get 4-6 dollars/doz. But in smaller towns I see folks asking 1.50-3.00 on Craigslist.

 

[rubyrogue]

This post got me curious about the laws here in Idaho. I went to the state agriculture site and after 15min of searching for the right page this is what I found for Idaho.

Egg Distributor/Candler Requirements
It is a requirement under Title 37, Chapter 15, Idaho Code, Egg and Egg Products, and IDAPA 02.02.11 Rules Governing Egg and Egg Products to comply with the laws and rules if you are a distributor of egg and/or egg products or if you have 300 or more birds.

A distributor must renew his/her license yearly, and candlers must also renew their license yearly. In addition to a license, distributors are required to pay a monthly mill levy assessment of .004 per dozen.

If an individual has less than 300 birds, he/she can sell the eggs without complying with the requirements. However, the eggs must be clean and the container must be labeled with the individual's name, address, phone number, and the words "UNGRADED EGGS".​

 

[dawg53]

I've never heard of this silly regulation, but now I know. I think that the way Georgia is cutting back funding for everything due to the economy,they wont be hiring egg candling inspectors for quite awhile. You can sell thru flyers,craigslist etc...