[Market-farming] Eggs at Market

Allan Balliett aballiett at frontiernet.net
Thu Apr 2 20:08:40 EDT 2009


Here's the deal in Jefferson, Co, WV (important because each countly 
is different.

My wife 'complied' today.

2 hours at the health department.

She paid $100 'food premise plan' fee + will pay $68.50 license to sell eggs.

We CANNOT have our eggs in a cooler (also, if we could, we would not 
be allowed to have the ice on top of the eggs as 'condensation may 
occur and wet the cartons.') Our eggs must be kept cool by a 
'mechanical cooler' which means an electric cooler. We got a lucky 
break and a fellow who bought a van with a fridge unit and has the 
stall next to us will let us keep our eggs in his cooler, which does 
qualify.

However, this means that he must idle his van for the entire 4 hour 
market! (How's that for 'health'?) (The van's motor powers the cooler 
and the health department has told him that if a product is to be 
sold at market that has to be cooled, the cooler must be 'on' for the 
entire market.)

I concur that small farmers are being squeezed with 'one size fits 
all ' healt laws and rules for the benefits of the corporate food 
interests. Many farmers I know are dropping out of the farmers 
markets rather than pay more than they can afford.

-Allan in WV



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