Oregon egg handler numbers surge

Though growers don't need a license to sell eggs directly from a farm stand or at a farmers' market, many want to be able to supply grocery stores and restaurants, said Carl Buchholz, who raises eggs near Mount Angel.

Licensed handlers can sell eggs produced by other farmers as long as the product undergoes the same grading, sanitation and packaging procedures, said Sarah Schwab, operations and automations specialist with ODA's food safety program.

[...] eggs must be free of dirt, cracks and similar defects, and they must be held up to a candling light to inspect the air cell — which indicates freshness — and to ensure they contain no internal blood spots or signs of bacterial infection, she said.

Demand for local eggs among grocery stores and restaurants is strong despite competition among the growing number of egg handlers, particularly for eggs raised on pasture, said Buchholz.

Maintaining the egg handler's license involves additional steps for his operation, but the expanded marketing opportunities it offers are valuable, he said.