2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 13 - Water Resources, Agriculture and Food
Chapter 632 - Production, Grading and Labeling Standards for Agricultural and Horticultural Products
Section 632.840 - Manner of confining egg-laying hen; business plan for compliance; rules; inspections; fees; report; penalty.

(1) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules regulating the manner in which egg-laying hens may be confined in an enclosure for purposes of ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The rules must:

(a) Be designed to promote humane welfare standards;

(b) Be effective in protecting consumers from food-borne pathogens;

(c) Require that enclosures constructed or otherwise acquired before January 1, 2012, meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification established in the United Egg Producers’ Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg Laying Flocks; and

(d) Require that enclosures constructed or otherwise acquired on or after January 1, 2012, meet, or be convertible into enclosures that meet, standards equivalent to the requirements for certification of enriched colony facility systems established in the American Humane Association’s farm animal welfare certification program.

(2) The department may impose a civil penalty pursuant to ORS 183.745, not to exceed $2,500, for violation of a provision of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(3) The department shall inspect at reasonable times commercial farms engaged in the production of eggs for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(4) The department may fix, assess and collect, or cause to be collected, from commercial farm owners or operators fees for the inspections performed by employees or agents of the department under subsection (3) of this section. The fees must have a uniform basis and must be in an amount reasonably necessary to cover the costs of the inspections and related administrative duties under ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The department shall adjust the fees under this subsection to meet any expenses necessary to carry out subsection (3) of this section and may prescribe a different fee scale for different localities. The department may prescribe a reasonable charge to be paid by commercial farm owners or operators for travel expenses and other related services if inspections under this section involve unusual cost to the department. Moneys from fees and charges collected by the department under this subsection must be deposited in the Department of Agriculture Service Fund and are continuously appropriated to the department to be used for the purpose of enforcing ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(5)(a) Upon renewal of an egg handler’s license described in ORS 632.715 or a commercial egg breaker’s permit described in ORS 632.730, a commercial farm owner or operator that is engaged in the commercial production of eggs in this state shall provide the department with a business plan describing the manner by which the commercial farm intends to comply with the rules adopted pursuant to the amendments to this section by section 9, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011. Notwithstanding ORS 192.501 or 192.502, the business plan is a public record subject to full disclosure.

(b) The department shall report annually to the Legislative Assembly on the rate at which commercial farm owners or operators that are engaged in the commercial production of eggs in this state are complying with the business plans submitted to the department under paragraph (a) of this subsection.

[2011 c.436 §4; 2011 c.436 §5]

Note 1: The amendments to 632.840 by section 7, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, become operative January 1, 2017. See section 8, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011. The text that is operative from January 1, 2017, until January 1, 2026, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
(1) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules regulating the manner in which egg-laying hens may be confined in an enclosure for purposes of ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The rules must:

(a) Be designed to promote humane welfare standards;

(b) Be effective in protecting consumers from food-borne pathogens;

(c) Require that enclosures constructed or otherwise acquired before January 1, 2012, meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification established in the United Egg Producers’ Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg Laying Flocks; and

(d) Require that enclosures constructed or otherwise acquired on or after January 1, 2012, meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification of enriched colony facility systems established in the American Humane Association’s farm animal welfare certification program. In no event may the rules authorize confining an egg-laying hen in an enclosure that provides less than 116.3 square inches of individually usable floor space per hen.

(2) The department may impose a civil penalty pursuant to ORS 183.745, not to exceed $2,500, for violation of a provision of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(3) The department shall inspect at reasonable times commercial farms engaged in the production of eggs for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(4) The department may fix, assess and collect, or cause to be collected, from commercial farm owners or operators fees for the inspections performed by employees or agents of the department under subsection (3) of this section. The fees must have a uniform basis and must be in an amount reasonably necessary to cover the costs of the inspections and related administrative duties under ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The department shall adjust the fees under this subsection to meet any expenses necessary to carry out subsection (3) of this section and may prescribe a different fee scale for different localities. The department may prescribe a reasonable charge to be paid by commercial farm owners or operators for travel expenses and other related services if inspections under this section involve unusual cost to the department. Moneys from fees and charges collected by the department under this subsection must be deposited in the Department of Agriculture Service Fund and are continuously appropriated to the department to be used for the purpose of enforcing ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(5)(a) Upon renewal of an egg handler’s license described in ORS 632.715 or a commercial egg breaker’s permit described in ORS 632.730, a commercial farm owner or operator that is engaged in the commercial production of eggs in this state shall provide the department with a business plan describing the manner by which the commercial farm intends to comply with the aspirational goals established by the Legislative Assembly in section 8a, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, and the rules adopted pursuant to the amendments to this section by section 9, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011. Notwithstanding ORS 192.501 or 192.502, the business plan is a public record subject to full disclosure.

(b) The department shall report annually to the Legislative Assembly on the rate at which commercial farm owners or operators that are engaged in the commercial production of eggs in this state are complying with the business plans submitted to the department under paragraph (a) of this subsection.

Note 2: The amendments to 632.840 by section 9, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, become operative January 1, 2026. See section 10, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2026, is set forth for the user’s convenience. (1) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules regulating the manner in which egg-laying hens may be confined in an enclosure for purposes of ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The rules must:

(a) Be designed to promote humane welfare standards;

(b) Be effective in protecting consumers from food-borne pathogens; and

(c) Require that enclosures meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification of enriched colony facility systems established in the American Humane Association’s farm animal welfare certification program. In no event may the rules authorize confining an egg-laying hen in an enclosure that provides less than 116.3 square inches of individually usable floor space per hen.

(2) The department may impose a civil penalty pursuant to ORS 183.745, not to exceed $2,500, for violation of a provision of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(3) The department shall inspect at reasonable times commercial farms engaged in the production of eggs for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

(4) The department may fix, assess and collect, or cause to be collected, from commercial farm owners or operators fees for the inspections performed by employees or agents of the department under subsection (3) of this section. The fees must have a uniform basis and must be in an amount reasonably necessary to cover the costs of the inspections and related administrative duties under ORS 632.835 to 632.850. The department shall adjust the fees under this subsection to meet any expenses necessary to carry out subsection (3) of this section and may prescribe a different fee scale for different localities. The department may prescribe a reasonable charge to be paid by commercial farm owners or operators for travel expenses and other related services if inspections under this section involve unusual cost to the department. Moneys from fees and charges collected by the department under this subsection must be deposited in the Department of Agriculture Service Fund and are continuously appropriated to the department to be used for the purpose of enforcing ORS 632.835 to 632.850.

Note 3: Sections 8a and 8b, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, provide:

Sec. 8a. The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that, in order to successfully comply with the rules adopted pursuant to section 4 of this 2011 Act [632.840], as amended by section 9 of this 2011 Act, no less than 25 percent of the enclosures used to confine egg-laying hens should, no later than January 1, 2020, meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification of enriched colony facility systems established in the American Humane Association’s farm animal welfare program, as described in the rules adopted by the State Department of Agriculture under section 4 of this 2011 Act. [2011 c.436 §8a]

Sec. 8b. Section 8a of this 2011 Act becomes operative on January 1, 2017. [2011 c.436 §8b]

Note 4: The amendments to section 8a, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, by section 8c, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, become operative January 1, 2020. See section 8d, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2020, is set forth for the user’s convenience.

Sec. 8a. The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that, in order to successfully comply with the rules adopted pursuant to section 4 of this 2011 Act [632.840], as amended by section 9 of this 2011 Act, no less than 65 percent of the enclosures used to confine egg-laying hens should, no later than January 1, 2023, meet standards equivalent to the requirements for certification of enriched colony facility systems established in the American Humane Association’s farm animal welfare program, as described in the rules adopted by the State Department of Agriculture under section 4 of this 2011 Act.

Note 5: Section 10a, chapter 436, Oregon Laws 2011, provides:

Sec. 10a. Section 8a of this 2011 Act is repealed on January 1, 2026.

[2011 c.436 §10a]