Dear Friend,
Let your Florida legislators know that you oppose the new proposed rule impacting egg and poultry producers!
It has come to our attention that there will be another hearing tomorrow, 7/10 held by the Florida Department of Agriculture inviting all interested parties to appear and submit public comments on a proposed rule affecting Limited Poultry and Egg Farm Operations. The Department will also provide information about the proposed rule. An earlier hearing was held on June 26.
The new proposed rule would further regulate egg and poultry producers, and will prohibit the sale of dressed poultry, with organs, feet, and the head removed for the consumer.
See proposed ruled 5k-4.033 here, and proposed rule 5k-4.020 here. For your ease, the full previously proposed rule can be found here.
About the Proposed Rule
🐔 The proposed rule would require producers to obtain a Ltd Poultry and Egg Farm Operations permit. The Department already takes this position but the rule would create a formal binding rule requiring the permit.
🐔 The proposed rule seeks to change the definition of “dressed poultry” to require producers to sell chickens with the organs and head intact.
🐔 A previous version of the proposed rule sought to expand the size limit for Limited Poultry and Egg Farm Operation permits to egg farms with up to 3,000 hens. That has been adjusted back to a size limit of 1,000 hens in the latest version. More than 1,000 hens would require a Shell Egg Processor permit.
🐔 The rule leaves intact the definition of a limited poultry producer as one that processes no more than 20k birds annually on farm.
🐔 The current version of the rule removes an earlier proposal that no more than 384 dressed poultry can be sold in a week.
About the Hearing
If you wish to weigh in on the proposed changes to the inspection, testing, and other requirements of the proposed rule, make plans to attend the hearing and be heard!
The hearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. in the Eyster Auditorium of the Conner Building:
3125 Conner Blvd
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
See further details here.
