The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final guidance concerning shell egg layer access to outdoor areas titled Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production, Storage, and Transportation (Layers with Access to Areas Outside the Poultry House): Questions and Answers Regarding the Final Rule on August 10, 2022.
The revised guidance provides recommendations on how egg producers who allow hens access to areas outside the poultry house can comply with the FDA’s Egg Rule and prevent Salmonella enteritidis (SE) contamination in shell eggs.
The biggest difference from the original guidance is the designation of a porch as an area outside the poultry house, rather than a part of the poultry house. Previously, the FDA defined areas outside the poultry house as only outdoor runs and pastures.
Answers are provided to questions submitted such as, “Should I prevent stray poultry, wild birds, cats, and other animals from entering an area outside the poultry house?” and “How can I prevent rodents from entering an area outside the poultry house?”
Other topics covered in the guidance concerning areas outside the poultry house include how to monitor and prevent rodents and flies, vegetation and debris control, prevention of pest harborage, disinfection practices in the event of a positive SE test, environmental sampling techniques and vaccination requirements.
The revised guidance is the FDA’s fourth guidance to help industry comply with the egg rule and was created in response to comments submitted to the draft guidance. While the FDA recommends these practices, they are not required if a producer can maintain compliance to the Egg Rule using a different approach.
The contradiction between the Egg Rule and the Organic Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed to amend the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) rule with new requirements to enforce consistent standards for organic poultry and livestock on August 5, 2022.
In the amendments, outdoor access, specifically porches, are addressed as an area of concern due to the amount of variation in the industry and the lack of access to soil and pasture. For example, some certified organic facilities use large, open outdoor areas, while others use smaller, covered porches. While the difference is substantial, both operations can be certified organic and use the label on their shell eggs under the existing rules.
In the FDA’s new guidance, it claims that egg producers can provide laying hens with access to areas outside the poultry house, which includes porches, and still comply with the egg rule. However, in the USDA’s proposed amendments, flexibility concerning what outdoor access covers will be removed, requiring organic producers to discontinue the use of porches as outdoor space.
