Ariz. Admin. Code § R3-2-907 - Poultry Husbandry; Standards for Production of Eggs and Biosecurity Requirements

A. Until September 30, 2022, all egg-laying hens in this state shall be raised according to UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines.

B. Until September 30, 2022, all eggs sold in this state produced by hens shall be from hens raised according to the UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines. All eggs shall display the UEP Certified logo on their cases, cartons, and containers, or the egg dealer shall annually provide the Department with a copy of a current independent third-party audit that demonstrates that the eggs were produced by hens raised according to UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines.

C. Beginning October 1, 2022, all egg-laying hens in this state shall be housed in accordance with the UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines and shall be provided with no less than one square foot of usable floor space per egg-laying hen.

D. Beginning October 1, 2022, all eggs and egg products sold in this state shall be from hens that are housed in accordance with the UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines and provided with no less than one square foot of usable floor space per egg-laying hen.

E. Beginning no later than January 1, 2025, all egg-laying hens in this state shall be housed in a cage-free manner.

F. Beginning no later than January 1, 2025, all eggs and egg products sold in this state shall be from hens housed in a cage-free manner.

G. Subsections (A) through (F) of this rule do not apply to egg producers or business owners or operators operating or controlling the operation of one or more egg ranches each having fewer than 20,000 egg-laying hens producing eggs. Subsections (A) through (E) of this rule also do not apply to any hens that are raised cage-free or any eggs produced by hens that are raised cage-free.

H. Beginning no later than October 1, 2022, in order to sell eggs or egg products within the state, a business owner or operator must have a certificate from the Supervisor certifying that the eggs or egg products are produced in compliance with Subsections subsections (C) through (F), or are exempt under subsection (G). The Supervisor will certify that eggs and egg products are produced in compliance with subsections (C) through (G) if the eggs or egg products are accompanied by documentation from a government or private third-party inspection and continuous process verification service that the Supervisor deems acceptable establishing that the eggs or egg products were produced in compliance with this Section. The immediate container of eggs and egg products shall be plainly and conspicuously marked with the words "ARS 710J" in bold-faced type not less than one-eighth inch in height; or in another manner preapproved by the department.

I. It shall be a defense to any action to enforce this Rule that a business owner or operator relied in good faith upon a written certification by the supplier that the eggs or egg products at issue were derived from an egg-laying hen which was housed in compliance with this Section.

DJ. All producers and producer dealers with operations within the state shall have a written biosecurity plan in place. At a minimum each producer and producer dealer shall:

1. Restrict access to all areas where poultry are housed or kept.

2. Take steps to ensure that contaminated material is not transported into any poultry barns.

3. Cover and secure feed in a manner that prevents wild bird, rodents or other animals from accessing the feed.

4. Cover and properly contain poultry carcasses, used litter, or other disease-containing organic materials that prevents wild birds, rodents or other animals from accessing the material and movement of the materials by the wind.

5. Keep houses in good repair and all areas to which the birds have access should be kept free of materials hazardous to the birds.

EK. The biosecurity plan shall contain the following:

1. Methods for the disposal and handling of poultry manure.

2. Procedures for prevention, control and eradication of vectors for poultry diseases.

3. Procedures for the detection, control and treatment of poultry diseases.

4. Methods for the disposal and handling of culled birds and entire flocks under normal cyclic operations and following emergency depletion as a result of disease.

5. A facility poultry disease control and prevention plan which includes standard operating procedures with respect to specific measures to control and prevent disease including but not limited to structural and operational disease control and prevention provisions.

6. Procedures to prevent cross contamination between nest run and in line eggs.

7. Procedures to prevent the introduction and transmittal of diseases by vehicles and any other forms of transportation.

8. Signed agreements with all employees containing biosecurity procedures regarding contact with outside poultry and wild birds.

FL. A producer and producer dealer shall allow the Department to enter the premises during normal working hours to inspect the biosecurity plan documents and the biosecurity that is implemented.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R3-2-907

Former Rule 7; Former Section R3-6-07 renumbered as Section R3-2-907 (Supp. 82-1). Section R3-6-107 renumbered to R3-2-907 (Supp. 91-4). Section R3-2-907 renumbered to R3-2-904 effective July 13, 1995 (Supp. 95-3). New Section made by final rulemaking at 15 A.A.R. 863, effective October 1, 2009 (Supp. 09-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 781, effective 6/8/2020. Amended by final rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 802, effective 10/1/2022.