With egg prices being so expensive at the grocery store, I wonder if the excess eggs from our backyard chickens can be donated to our local food pantry?
Some Oregonians are generously trying to find ways to help their food-insecure neighbors by donating eggs from backyard chicken coops to local food banks. This gesture is much appreciated by food bank staff, but because of food safety concerns and regulations, the donations are almost always turned away.
The Oregon Food Bank network follows the guidance provided by Oregon Health Authority about safe sources for donated foods. OFB-affiliated pantries only accept eggs from commercial sources or from licensed producers. However, there are still a few ways that small egg producers can donate to food pantries or to neighbors in need.
Direct gifts
No license is required for one person to give eggs they’ve raised to another person directly, for free. In some cases, small-scale egg producers have talked with their local food pantry and gotten permission to set up their own egg table at the regular food pantry distribution times.
If the person who raised the eggs makes the gift to a food pantry visitor, no license is required. To prevent foodborne illness, the egg donor should ensure that the eggs are collected regularly, cleaned, refrigerated to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less within 36 hours of collection. This Extension publication has more information on safe egg handling.
Food bank with an egg handler’s license
Food banks can get an egg handler’s license and accept properly handled egg donations. The food bank becomes responsible for cleaning, grading, candling, labeling and packaging the eggs for distribution, as well as for verifying that the eggs were handled properly by the original producer.
Food bank staff will likely feel overwhelmed and not keen to take this task on, but it is doable with well-informed volunteers, good facilities, and engaged staff. Licensing requirements below.
Producer or co-op with an egg handler’s license
If the food bank is unable to take on licensing, one producer can become licensed and accept properly handled eggs from multiple sources for donation. This might take the form of a co-op of neighbors aggregating eggs and using a community kitchen to clean, grade, candle and package the eggs. One individual or entity would still need to be the license holder, taking responsibility for safe aggregation of the eggs that are then donated to a food bank. Safe handling at every step is essential.
An egg handler’s license only costs $30, but it involves a site inspection and requires that the license holder have knowledge about proper egg handling. For the site inspection, ODA wants to see that facilities have a hygienic space with washable surfaces, refrigerator space (45 degrees Fahrenheit or less), potable water and adequate facilities for either dry cleaning or spray washing the eggs.
For more details on proper egg handling procedures for small producers, OSU Extension’s Farm Direct Marketing guide has an excellent overview.
Contact your local ODA food safety inspector for licensing.
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