Shelled Eggs - - CA Health And Safety

Section § 25995

This California law section highlights the importance of animal welfare, specifically for food animals like egg-laying hens, to ensure they are healthy and safe for human consumption. It references studies showing that better treatment of animals leads to less risk of diseases like salmonella, which is a common food-borne illness. The Legislature aims to protect consumers by preventing the sale of eggs from stressed hens, as stress can increase the likelihood of food-borne pathogens.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) According to the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Production, food animals that are treated well and provided with at least minimum accommodation of their natural behaviors and physical needs are healthier and safer for human consumption.

(b) A key finding from the World Health Organization and Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Salmonella Risk Assessment was that reducing flock prevalence results in a directly proportional reduction in human health risk.

(c) Egg-laying hens subjected to stress are more likely to have higher levels of pathogens in their intestines and the conditions increase the likelihood that consumers will be exposed to higher levels of food-borne pathogens.

(d) Salmonella is the most commonly diagnosed food-borne illness in the United States.

(e) It is the intent of the Legislature to protect California consumers from the deleterious, health, safety, and welfare effects of the sale and consumption of eggs derived from egg-laying hens that are exposed to significant stress and may result in increased exposure to disease pathogens including salmonella.

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(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 51, Sec. 1. (AB 1437) Effective January 1, 2011.)

Section § 25996

Starting January 1, 2015, in California, you can't sell or agree to sell eggs for people to eat if you know, or should know, the eggs come from hens kept in farms that don't follow specific animal care standards.

Commencing January 1, 2015, a shelled egg shall not be sold or contracted for sale for human consumption in California if the seller knows or should have known that the egg is the product of an egg-laying hen that was confined on a farm or place that is not in compliance with animal care standards set forth in Chapter 13.8 (commencing with Section 25990).

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(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 625, Sec. 1. (SB 667) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Section § 25996.1

If someone breaks the rules outlined in this chapter, they are committing a misdemeanor. If found guilty, the punishment can include a fine of up to $1,000, a jail sentence of up to 180 days, or both.

A person who violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed 180 days or by both that fine and imprisonment.

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(Added by renumbering Section 25997 (as added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 51, Sec. 1) by Stats. 2015, Ch. 303, Sec. 317. (AB 731) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Section § 25996.3

This law emphasizes that it adds to existing animal welfare laws, not replaces them. It ensures that other state laws or regulations protecting animals remain effective. Additionally, local governments can still create and enforce their own animal welfare laws.

The provisions of this chapter are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare, including the Penal Code. This chapter shall not be construed to limit any state law or regulation protecting the welfare of animals, nor shall anything in this chapter prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.

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(Added by renumbering Section 25997.1 by Stats. 2015, Ch. 303, Sec. 318. (AB 731) Effective January 1, 2016.)