CLASSIFICATION AND SALE OF EGGS AND POULTRY

F.S. Ch. 583

in effect

F.S. 583.01 Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, unless elsewhere indicated, the term: (1) “Broker” means any person, firm, or corporation that sells eggs, egg products, or dressed poultry in this state for a dealer on a commission basis. (2) “Carton” means any one-half-dozen-sized to three-dozen-sized container used as a carrier of eggs in which each egg has an individual covered cell. A bag or other carrier in which eggs are packed in bulk without separation between individual eggs is not considered to be a carton. (3) “Dating” or “code dating” means the use of the actual date of pack according to the month and day of the month, or the Julian calendar date. No other code dating is permitted unless approved by the department. Dating or code dating must be legible. (4) “Dealer” means a person, firm, or corporation, including a producer, processor, retailer, or wholesaler, that sells, offers for sale, or holds for the purpose of sale in this state 30 dozen or more eggs or its equivalent in any one week, or more than 384 dressed birds in any one week. (5) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (6) “Destination” means any location other than the point of origin. (7) “Egg producer” means any person, firm, or corporation that produces eggs. (8) “Egg whites,” “liquid egg whites,” “whites,” or “liquid whites” means the whites of eggs of the domestic hen that are separated from the yolks of the eggs and conform with the specifications prescribed or to be prescribed by the definition and standard of identity established by the United States Egg Products Inspection Act, Pub. L. No. 91-597 (84 Stat. 1620), and chapter 500, the Florida Food Safety Act. (9) “Egg yolks,” “liquid egg yolks,” “yolks,” or “liquid yolks” means yolks of eggs of the domestic hen so separated from the whites of the eggs as to contain a total egg solid content that conforms with the specifications prescribed by the definition and standard of identity established by the United States Egg Products Inspection Act, Pub. L. No. 91-597 (84 Stat. 1620), and chapter 500, the Florida Food Safety Act. (10) “Eggs” means all edible shell eggs from the domesticated chicken and liquid or frozen whole eggs, yolks, whites, and egg products. (11) “Florida dressed poultry” means any fowl, slaughtered and offered for sale in this state, that has not been hard-chilled or frozen. (12) “Frozen egg products” means frozen whole eggs, frozen whites, or frozen yolks or any combination thereof to which have been added salt, sugar, or other food or noninjurious food additive. (13) “Frozen eggs,” “frozen whole eggs,” or “frozen mixed eggs” means the food prepared by freezing liquid eggs. (14) “Frozen whites” or “frozen egg whites” means the food prepared by freezing egg whites. (15) “Frozen yolks” or “frozen egg yolks” means the food prepared by freezing egg yolks. (16) “Liquid eggs,” “mixed eggs,” “liquid whole eggs,” or “mixed whole eggs” means eggs of the domestic hen that are broken from the shells, with the yolks and whites in their natural proportions as so broken. They may be mixed, or mixed and strained. (17) “Live poultry” means any fowl which is to be slaughtered for human consumption. (18) “Origin” means a plant where eggs are graded and packed. (19) “Poultry” means all kinds of poultry and includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, guineas, geese, pigeons raised as domesticated food birds, quail, and other domesticated food birds. (20) “Processor” means any person, firm, or corporation that packs or processes eggs, or slaughters and dresses poultry, for commercial purposes. (21) “Quick-frozen poultry” or “frozen poultry” means any fowl that has been processed, packed, sealed, and frozen in strict conformity with accepted standards for quick-freezing, or when frozen, that has not developed any appearance of cold storage stock and shows no evidence of deterioration from freezing. (22) “Ready-to-cook poultry” means any dressed poultry from which the protruding pinfeathers, vestigial feathers (hair or down, as the case may be), head, shanks, crop, oil gland, trachea, esophagus, entrails, reproductive organs, and lungs have been removed, which poultry is with or without giblets, and which poultry is ready to cook without need of further processing. The term “ready-to-cook poultry” also means any cut-up or disjointed portion of such poultry or any edible part thereof. (23) “Shell eggs” means all edible shell eggs from the domesticated chicken still in their original shells and are classified as follows: (a) “Cold storage eggs” means shell eggs which have been held under refrigeration in excess of 30 days. (b) “Fresh eggs” means eggs of Grade A or better quality. (c) “Graded eggs” means eggs the quality of which has been determined by candling. Only after candling may a grade be declared by any dealer or packer of shell eggs. However, it is understood that, should a new grading method be approved by the department, it shall be within the authority of the department to allow such new method for determining internal quality to be used in place of the now universally accepted candling procedure. (d) “Loose eggs” means eggs that are not in a carton. (e) “Nest run eggs” means eggs that come from production facilities without having been washed, sized, or graded for quality. (f) “Shell-treated eggs” means eggs which have been treated with an acceptable food-preserving oil or another acceptable substance in the interest of preserving their internal quality. (g) “Unclassified eggs” means washed shell eggs which have not been graded for quality and size. However, unclassified eggs may have no more checks, dirties, leakers, or loss than those allowed for Florida Grade B; and such eggs shall not be offered at retail in carton containers. (24) “Shipped dressed poultry” means any fowl produced and slaughtered outside of this state that has not been hard-chilled or frozen. (25) “Storage fowl” or “cold storage fowl” means any fowl that is free from disease, and regardless of where slaughtered, that shows evidence of deterioration from freezing or that has been held at low temperature for 60 or more days.

F.S. 583.02 Labeling, marking, and advertising eggs; sales between dealers; unlawful acts.

It is unlawful for any dealer: (1) To offer for sale or sell in this state any case, partial case, or carton containing eggs which is not labeled with the date of pack; grade; size; and name and address of the packer, distributor, or dealer. However, the department may permit a dealer to sell or consign eggs to another dealer in this state without labeling provided such eggs are accompanied by a proper bill of lading, and provided further that the consignee, upon receipt of the eggs and prior to selling or offering them for sale, affixes to each case the labeling required by this chapter. (2) To offer for sale or sell eggs in bulk (not in cases or cartons) from any open case, box, basket, or other receptacle holding such eggs in bulk without displaying conspicuously on every such case, box, basket, or other receptacle a placard or heavy cardboard not smaller than 7 inches by 7 inches in size, on which shall be legibly and plainly printed, in letters not smaller than 1 inch in height, wording showing whether the eggs offered for sale or sold are “cold storage eggs,” “unclassified eggs,” or “graded eggs,” and also stating the grade and size to which the eggs contained therein conform. (3) To offer eggs for sale in any newspaper advertisement, circular, radio, or other form of advertising without plainly designating in such advertisement the grade and size to which the eggs being offered for sale properly belong. (4) To use the name, logo, or certificate or permit number of the department on any egg or poultry advertisement or packaging material without written approval from the department.

F.S. 583.03 Grades and standards for eggs.

To promote honest and fair dealing in the interest of the consumer, the department may determine, establish, and promulgate, from time to time, reasonable grades and standards of quality for eggs to be sold or offered for sale in the state; and the department may alter or modify such grades and standards of quality from time to time, as honest and fair dealing in the interest of the consumer may require; however, the grades, grade tolerances, and standards of quality so fixed by the department shall not exceed those stipulated in 7 C.F.R. part 56.

F.S. 583.04 Rulemaking.

The department has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter.

F.S. 583.05 Powers of department to make inspections, issue stop-sale orders, or condemn and destroy eggs, egg products, or poultry.

For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter and upon good and sufficient cause, the department: (1) Shall have free access at all reasonable hours to any establishment, premises, or building where eggs, egg products, or poultry are processed, stored, or offered for sale, and to any vehicle used to transport or hold eggs, egg products, or poultry, for the purpose of inspecting such establishment, premises, building, or vehicle or the eggs, egg products, or poultry therein in order to determine compliance with this chapter and chapter 500, the Florida Food Safety Act. (2) Shall have free access at all reasonable hours to any kitchen of a restaurant, of a hotel dining room, or of another public eating place where eggs, egg products, or poultry are served as food to determine if such eggs, egg products, or poultry are in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. (3) May issue and enforce a stop-sale order on any lot of eggs, egg products, or poultry which the department finds, or has good reason to believe, is in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or any rule issued hereunder, which stop-sale order prohibits the further sale, barter, exchange, or distribution of the eggs, egg products, or poultry until the department is satisfied that compliance with this chapter or rule issued hereunder has been effected and has issued a written release notice to the owner or custodian of such eggs, egg products, or poultry. (4) May condemn or destroy any eggs, egg products, or poultry which are unsound; which contain any filthy, decomposed, or putrid substances; or which may be poisonous, injurious to health, or otherwise unsafe.

F.S. 583.06 Employment of assistants by department.

The department may employ such assistants as are necessary to carry out and enforce the provisions of this chapter.

F.S. 583.09 Egg dealers and poultry dealers; permit requirements.

It is unlawful for any person, as a dealer or broker, to sell or hold for the purpose of sale any eggs or poultry, unless such person possesses a valid food permit issued by the department as prescribed by s. 500.12.

F.S. 583.10 Dealer records, invoices, and information; inspection; penalty.

(1) Each dealer shall keep for a period of 2 years all invoices, manifests, bills of lading, warehouse receipts, receiving and delivery receipts, records of checks issued, bank deposits, bank account statements, and paid checks, ledgers, books of accounts, and memoranda or other equivalent information, relating to the purchase, sale, or transfer of eggs or poultry, and showing the name of the seller or consignor, the name of the purchaser or consignee, and the quantity and source; and the dealer shall make such records readily available to the department during all business hours for the purposes of inspection, examination, and audit. (2) Upon request, the holder of a certificate or permit under this chapter shall mail to the department in Tallahassee duplicate copies of all invoices or equivalent documents, showing the consignor, the consignee, and the quantity, source, grades, and standards of eggs or poultry included in each purchase or sale, or such other information as the department may require. The department may prescribe the forms to be used for furnishing such information. (3) Any person who violates this section, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in s. 583.20.

F.S. 583.11 Exemption for interstate egg or poultry shipment.

This chapter does not apply to any shipment of eggs or poultry while the shipment constitutes a bona fide shipment in interstate commerce, but this chapter shall apply at the instant at which the interstate shipment comes to rest within the state, or whenever such interstate shipment loses its character as such.

F.S. 583.13 Labeling and advertising requirements for dressed poultry; unlawful acts.

(1) It is unlawful for any dealer or broker to sell, offer for sale, or hold for the purpose of sale in the state any dressed or ready-to-cook poultry in bulk unless such poultry is packed in a container clearly bearing a label, not less than 3 inches by 5 inches, on which shall be plainly and legibly printed, in letters not less than 1 / 4 in height, the grade and the part name or whole-bird statement of such poultry. The grade may be expressed in the term “premium,” “good,” or “standard,” or as the grade of another state or federal agency the standards of quality of which, by law, are equal to the standards of quality provided by this law and rules promulgated hereunder. (2) It is unlawful to sell unpackaged dressed or ready-to-cook poultry at retail unless such poultry is labeled by a placard immediately adjacent to the poultry or unless each bird is individually labeled to show the grade and the part name or whole-bird statement. The placard shall be no smaller than 7 inches by 7 inches in size, and the required labeling information shall be legibly and plainly printed on the placard in letters not smaller than 1 inch in height. (3) It is unlawful to sell packaged dressed or ready-to-cook poultry at retail unless such poultry is labeled to show the grade, the part name or whole-bird statement, the net weight of the poultry, and the name and address of the dealer. The size of the type on the label must be one-eighth inch or larger. A placard immediately adjacent to such poultry may be used to indicate the grade and the part name or whole-bird statement, but not the net weight of the poultry or the name and address of the dealer. (4) It is unlawful to use dressed or ready-to-cook poultry in bulk in the preparation of food served to the public, or to hold such poultry for the purpose of such use, unless the poultry when received was packed in a container clearly bearing a label, not less than 3 inches by 5 inches, on which was plainly and legibly printed, in letters not less than one-fourth inch in height, the grade and the part name or whole-bird statement of such poultry. The grade may be expressed in the term “premium,” “good,” or “standard,” or as the grade of another state or federal agency the standards of quality of which, by law, are equal to the standards of quality provided by this law and rules promulgated hereunder. (5) It is unlawful to offer dressed or ready-to-cook poultry for sale in any advertisement in a newspaper or circular, on radio or television, or in any other form of advertising without plainly designating in such advertisement the grade and the part name or whole-bird statement of such poultry.

F.S. 583.17 Grades and standards for fowl.

(1) The department may from time to time determine, establish, and promulgate, for each or all of the different types of fowl to be sold or offered for sale in the state, reasonable grades and standards of quality that will promote honest and fair dealing in the interest of the consumer; and the department may alter or modify such grades and standards of quality from time to time, as honest and fair dealing in the interest of the consumer may require; however, the grades and standards of quality established by the department shall not exceed those stipulated in 7 C.F.R. part 70. (2) The department may also make and promulgate such rules as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this law.

F.S. 583.19 Sale of fowl unfit for human consumption prohibited.

It is unlawful for any person to sell live or dressed fowl suspected to be unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome, diseased, adulterated, or otherwise unfit for human consumption.

F.S. 583.20 Penalties for violations of chapter or rules.

(1) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any rule thereunder is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. In addition thereto, the department may suspend or revoke the certificate or permit of any dealer convicted of any such violation. (2) In addition to the remedies provided in this chapter and notwithstanding the existence of any adequate remedy at law, the department is authorized to apply by a bill in equity to a circuit court or circuit judge for a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, and such court or judge has jurisdiction upon hearing and for cause shown to grant a temporary or permanent injunction, or both, to restrain any person from violating or continuing to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or from failing or refusing to comply with the requirements of this chapter or any rule duly promulgated as authorized in s. 583.04 or s. 583.17. Such injunction shall be issued without bond.

F.S. 583.021 Nest run eggs; limitation on sale.

Nest run eggs shall be sold only by producers or processors to other producers or processors and shall not be sold directly to retail outlets, consumers, or public eating places.

F.S. 583.022 Refrigeration of eggs for sale or processing; temperature requirements.

All egg handlers shall refrigerate eggs after packaging for the ultimate consumer. Eggs shall be maintained under refrigeration from the initial time of refrigeration until sold at retail or until used by any commercial establishment or public institution. Temperature for storage and transportation of eggs shall be no greater than 45 °F. ambient, to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of the eggs in accordance with federal and state health standards.

F.S. 583.051 Power of department to bill and collect moneys due under poultry or egg programs.

The department is authorized to bill and collect moneys due to it under any state, federal, or other poultry program or egg program. All moneys due to the department must be paid in full within the allowed payment period, as established by rule; or, if the money is not so paid, the applicable certificate or permit may be denied, suspended, or revoked.

F.S. 583.052 Cooperation by the department with other state or federal agencies.

The department is authorized and empowered to cooperate with, and enter into agreements with, any other agency of this state, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and any other state or federal agency for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter or other related state or federal laws.

F.S. 583.181 Disposal of dead poultry and hatchery residue; inspection and quarantine; penalties.

(1) DEFINITIONS. — As used in this section, where the context permits, the term: (a) “Egg producer” means any person, firm, or corporation that produces eggs. (b) “Hatchery residue” means dead chicks, down, egg shells, or unhatched and unused eggs. (c) “Poultry hatchery” means any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of hatching eggs of chickens, turkeys, ducks, or other fowl. (d) “Poultry producer” means any person, firm, or corporation that grows chickens, turkeys, ducks, or other fowl. (2) SANITARY DISPOSAL OF DEAD POULTRY AND HATCHERY RESIDUE. — Every poultry producer, egg producer, and poultry hatchery doing business in this state shall provide for the sanitary disposal of dead birds and hatchery residue. The disposal may be accomplished by incineration, processing in approved rendering plants, feeding to swine in permitted garbage feeding establishments after adequate heat treatment, burial in sanitary disposal pits or sanitary landfills, or other methods which may be approved by the department. If dead birds or hatchery residue is not disposed of on the premises where produced, the materials must be transported to the disposal site in containers sufficiently sealed so as to prevent spillage thereof. (3) POWERS AND DUTIES. — In the discharge of its duties under this section, the department has the power: (a) To prescribe satisfactory facilities and equipment for the handling, destruction, and disposal of dead birds and hatchery residue so as to prevent the spread or dissemination of diseases of poultry. (b) To enter upon any premises where poultry is kept by poultry producers, poultry hatcheries, and egg producers and make such inspections as are necessary to ensure the proper disposal of dead birds and hatchery residue as required by this section. (c) To quarantine any premises found to be in violation of this section or the rules adopted hereunder. (4) EXEMPTIONS. — The provisions of this section do not apply to poultry producers or egg producers with flocks of 500 birds or less, unless it is determined by the department that such producer’s means of disposal constitutes a disease threat. (5) PENALTY. — Any person who violates the provisions of this section or the rules adopted hereunder is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in ss. 775.082 and 775.083.

Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter583/AllFetched: 7/8/2026