Nevada's cage-free egg legislation briefly suspended as chicken flu impacts provide throughout state

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Division of Agriculture briefly suspended Nevada’s cage-free egg legislation to handle the pressure on egg provides and excessive egg costs throughout the state.

The Nevada Division of Agriculture (NDA) State Quarantine Officer Director J.J. Goicoechea, DVM suspended the legislation beginning Feb. 20. In consequence, eggs for retail sale will be sourced from any egg producer assembly food-safety tips, no matter whether or not the eggs originated from hens in a cage-free housing system.

“Eggs are typically the most cost-effective protein source for food-insecure populations,” Goicoechea mentioned. “When families can’t find eggs on the shelf, and when they do the prices are not attainable, this can leave them without an essential food they depend on.”

Nevada handed cage-free egg laws in 2021 which require all eggs offered in Nevada to be sourced from cage-free hens. “Cage-Free” is outlined as eggs from hens in an enclosure through which they’re unrestricted and free to roam, with a complete area of at the least one sq. foot per hen within the enclosure, based on NDA.

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The order was issued to assist tackle the pressure on eggs as Extremely Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to impression the poultry business, notably cage-free egg producers, inflicting the provision of cage-free eggs to be considerably decreased, NDA mentioned.

Meeting Invoice 171 was handed throughout the present Legislative session and permits for the non permanent suspension of cage-free laws for as much as 120 days in emergencies. Goicoechea’s order will start Thursday.

“This egg shortage didn’t happen overnight, and we cannot resolve it overnight,” Goicoechea mentioned. “We anticipate roughly 30 days before we can secure new contracts and start to see increased egg supplies on the shelf, and hopefully lower prices as availability increases.”

The order additionally permits for the sale of “Grade B” high quality customary eggs. These eggs should meet all the meals security necessities of “Grade A” eggs however might have totally different colours, sizes and shapes.