Eggs

Regulations for egg producers

Egg food safety is regulated under the Primary Produce (Food Safety Schemes) (Egg) Regulations 2012).

All egg producers must comply with the egg food safety standard (Standard 4.2.5).

Egg producers that require accreditation

Egg producers must be accredited if you have more than 50 laying birds and produce and sell eggs:

  • to a food business such as a supermarket, café, hotel or bakery
  • to another egg producer
  • at a market such as a farmers' market
  • by wholesale.

If you are accredited for egg production, you must also have a property identification code (PIC).

Backyard producers who give eggs to friends and family do not need to be accredited.

How to apply for accreditation

Accreditation and annual fees

The fee to apply for accreditation is $588. The table below outlines the annual fee based on the number of hens on your property.

Producers will be sent an invoice to pay the fee after the accreditation application form has been reviewed.

Number of hens on your property

Annual fee

Fewer than 1,000 hens $241
1,001 hens up to 9,999 hens $900
10,000 to 49,999 hens $1,219
More than 50,000 hens $1,939

Egg food safety standard (Standard 4.2.5)

Key requirements for producers are:

  • the removal of any cracked or dirty eggs from sale
  • a maintained food safety management statement
  • control inputs to make sure eggs you produce are safe, such as feed, disposal of waste and hygiene standards
  • the ability to trace, if asked, where your eggs are sold
  • a unique identification stamp on individual eggs.

Poultry health and diseases

Contact the food safety program

(08) 8429 0867 pirsa.foodsafety@sa.gov.au
Page last reviewed: 30 Jun 2023

 


Top of page