Eggs
Regulations and standards
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).
Key requirements
Key requirements
Under Standard 4.2.5, egg producers need to ensure:
- the removal of any cracked or dirty eggs from sale
- a maintained food safety management statement
- control inputs are in place to make sure eggs you produce are safe, such as feed, disposal of waste, and hygiene standards
- the ability to trace where your eggs are sold, if asked
- a unique identification stamp on individual eggs.
Producer accreditation
Egg producers must be accredited if you have more than 50 laying birds.
Regardless of bird numbers, egg producers must be accredited if you produce and sell eggs:
- to a food business such as a supermarket, cafe, 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.
Apply for accreditation
- Complete and submit the Egg food safety scheme application for accreditation ().
- Pay the accreditation and annual fees.
Application fees
Accreditation fee: $606.
Annual fees are 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.
Hens on your property | Annual fee |
|---|---|
Fewer than 1,000 hens | $248 |
| 1,001 hens up to 9,999 hens | $927 |
| 10,000 to 49,999 hens | $1,256 |
| More than 50,000 hens | $1,997 |
