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Egg Marketing Regulations
EXPLANATORY LEAFLET ON THE CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE USE OF LAYING DATE

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INTRODUCTION

1. The EC Regulations now permit a laying date to be stamped on eggs and packs subject to certain conditions. Producers intending to supply eggs which indicate, or on which it is intended to indicate, a laying date must be registered with the Department by completing Registration Form ERM8. Packers who intend to pack eggs on which it is indicated (or which it is intended to indicate) date of lay will need to complete a Packing Station Registration Form EMR2. Producers and packers who use this optional marking will be subject to inspections at least every 2 months.

2. All individual eggs must be stamped with the laying date. This may either be carried out at the farm or at the packing station. The relevant conditions that apply in either case are as follows:-

UNSTAMPED EGGS DELIVERED TO PACKING STATIONS

3. Eggs on which it is intended to indicate the laying date, shall only be delivered to or collected by packing stations on the date of laying from each producer.

4. The eggs must be delivered to packing stations in sealed containers and be identified by:

4.1 date of lay;

4.2 name and address of producer, together with a coded reference t the hen house from which the eggs came;

4.3 the date of dispatch; and

4.4 the number of weight of the eggs in the delivery.

This information shall be shown on the container and on accompanying documents, the latter to be kept at the packing station for a period of at least 12 months.

5. The containers referred to above shall be opened in the packing station immediately before grading starts. All eggs from a single container shall be graded and packed without interruption. The eggs must be graded and packed on the date of laying. The laying date shall be stamped during or immediately after grading, on those eggs intended for such marking.

PACKING STATIONS SUPPLIED BY OWN UNIT ON SAME SITE

6. Where packing stations are supplied only from its own production units situated at the same site, eggs must be graded and packed on the date of laying or delivered to other packing stations. The laying date must be stamped during or immediately after grading on those eggs intended for such marking.

STAMPED EGGS DELIVERED TO PACKING STATIONS

7. Where eggs have already been stamped with the date of lay at the farm, deliveries must be accompanied by the information at paragraph 4 above. The eggs may be packed within the usual time limits.

RECORD KEEPING

Producers

8. Producers must keep current records of the following:

8.1 the date of placing, the age at placing and the number of laying hens, broken down by henhouse;

8.2 the daily egg production of each henhouse; and

8.3 the number or weight of eggs delivered on which it is intended to indicate the laying date, or on which the laying date has already been stamped at the farm, broken down by buyer, and to include the latter's name, address, and packing station number.

Packing Stations

9. Packing stations, other than those supplied only from their own production units situated on the same site, must keep separate records of the following:

9.1 the names and addresses of the producers supplying such eggs;
These producers must be registered with the Department.)

9.2 the number of laying hens kept by each producer;

9.3 daily quantities, by producer, of eggs arriving at the station on which it is intended to indicate the laying date, or on which the laying date has already been stamped at the farm, including the producer's name, address, and registration number;

9.4 the name and/or weight of eggs sold, by weight grade and name and address of the buyer; and

9.5 the reference numbers of small packs, and in the case of loose sales, of large packs containing these eggs. Such reference numbers shall be in an uninterrupted ascending numerical sequence.

10. Packing stations supplied from their own production units situated on the same site must keep separate records of the following:

10.1 the date of placing, the age at placing and the number of laying hens, broken down by henhouse;

10.2 the daily egg production of each henhouse;

10.3 daily quantities of eggs arriving at the station on which it is intended to indicate the laying date or on which the laying date has already been stamped at the production site; and

10.4 the number and/or weight of eggs sold, by weight grade and buyer, together with the buyer's name and address, as well as reference numbers of small packs, and in the case of loose sales, of large packs, containing these eggs. Such reference numbers shall be in an uninterrupted ascending numerical sequence.

ENQUIRIES

11. If you require any further information on the conditions relating to the use of laying date or any other aspect of the EC Egg Marketing Regulations, please contact the Area Egg Marketing Inspectorate as shown in the Appendix.

APPENDIX - AREA EGG MARKETING INSPECTORATE - LOCATIONS

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