(A) In order to protect the producer, the distributor, and the consumer, all eggs sold in this State must be labeled so as to designate their quality, size, and weight class.

(B) The department shall establish standards for the grading, classification, and marking of shell eggs bought and sold by a person in this State.

(C) The standards, on the date of the sale to the consumer, must conform to the minimum standards promulgated by the United States Department of Agriculture as defined in the "United States Standards, Grades and Weight Classes for Shell Eggs", authorized pursuant to 7 U.S.C. Section 1624.

(D) The standards of quality of the United States Department of Agriculture are adopted as the standards of quality for the enforcement of this article. An egg described by the United States Department of Agriculture as being inedible is considered inedible pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(E) At the time of packing and candling of each case of eggs, the producer or dealer shall affix a label not less than two inches by four inches or not less than eight square inches on one end of each case. On this label must be printed or stamped, legibly in letters not less than one-fourth of an inch in size, the date when the eggs were packed and candled or the expiration date, which may not exceed forty-five days from the date packed, the size and grade of the eggs, and either the name and address of the packer or the USDA assigned plant number or a state approved plant identification code. The name of the state of origin may be given. If eggs are sold in cartons, the cartons must show the date packed or the expiration date, which may not exceed forty-five days from the date packed, and the grade and size, together with either the name and address of the packer or the USDA assigned plant number or a state approved plant identification code. The state of origin also may be given.

(F) Abbreviations of words in the classification or in designating the grade and size are prohibited. The information pertaining to the grade and size must be shown in legible letters not less than one-fourth of an inch in size. The information pertaining to the name and address of the packer or the USDA assigned plant number or a state approved plant identification code and the date packed or expiration date must be given legibly. All wording on egg cases and egg cartons must be in English and must be approved by the Department of Agriculture before using.

(G) Words or phrases tending to obscure or nullify the proper classification of eggs are prohibited. Each word of the classification, including the name of the state of origin, must appear in the same size type and color in a printed advertisement. Abbreviations of a word in the classification or in designating the size and grade to which eggs belong are prohibited. A person advertising eggs for sale, at retail or wholesale, in newspapers, by window displays, or otherwise shall set forth in the advertisement the classification as to size and grade of the eggs offered for sale. The classification must be set forth in letters equal in size to those advertising the eggs for sale.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 66-624; 1955 (49) 316; 1994 Act No. 379, Section 1, eff May 10, 1994; 2005 Act No. 23, Section 1, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on March 24, 2005).

Effect of Amendment

The 1994 amendment substituted "must" for "shall."

The 2005 amendment designated subsection (A) and added subsections (B) to (G).