March 28, 2024

IDALS follows federal lead on eggs

Inspections resumed June 1

Shortly after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it would resume the egg inspections at farms that were suspended last year, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced it will do the same.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture announced in late May that it would resume inspections of state-inspected and apparoved egg handlers on June 1.

"Poultry farms and will continue to follow rigorous biosecurity protocols as part of the inspections to help ensure animal health," the department said in a statement. ""All state inspectors have received additional training on appropriate biosecurity on visiting livestock."

The (FDA) had previosly announced it will resume inspection of federally licensed egg handling facilities starting on June 1.

Iowa inspectors observe egg handlers that package eggs from licensed facilities that house fewer than 3,000 birds. Larger houses, with 3,000 birds or more, and their packaging facilities are FDA-licensed and are subject to federal inspections.

The FDA temporarily suspended inspection of federal licensed facilities in spring 2015 during the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak in Iowa and 20 other states. The Department echoed the directives of the FDA and also suspended inspections at that time.

This was done out of an abundance of caution to ensure that department employees would not serve as a potential source of disease spread, the statement says.

Egg farms are not a large component of Jasper County agrculture. In fact, the state lists only one county facility — Wild Rose Pastures of Reasnor — on its most updated roster of its 90 approved and regularly inspected egg handlers.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com