A Message About Safe Maine Eggs

Providing safe, high-quality eggs for our customers and consumers is the top priority for Quality Egg of New England. Because of that commitment, we have in place stringent programs for how we prevent disease in our flocks, maintain biosecurity on our farms and ensure both the wholesomeness and safety of the eggs we produce.

As egg farmers and as food providers, we share your concerns about the nationwide voluntary recall of eggs. Although Quality Egg of New England has a number of business relationships with other companies and suppliers to the egg industry, we want to reassure you that our eggs are not affected by this recall. The farms we have in Maine do not take in eggs from other states for processing - only Maine eggs are processed at our farms.

In addition, since July 2009, our farms in Maine follow a voluntary overall SE intervention and risk reduction program. It includes vaccination of all pullets (hens less than one year old) before they begin laying eggs. To date, we've invested nearly $300,000 in our vaccination program for labor and vaccines. Our program also includes strict guidelines for biosecurity on our farms, cleaning and disinfection, pest management and processing.

Quality Egg of New England has participated in the Maine Salmonella Enteritidis Risk Reduction Program since its inception in the late 1980s. Among the best in the nation, this program is a collaboration between the Maine Department of Agriculture, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, UMO Diagnostic Lab and the commercial egg producers. The implementation of the program is overseen by a poultry health technician under the supervision of the State Veterinarian.

As you may not know, the FDA's new egg safety rule took effect on July 9, 2010. But Maine egg farmers, including Quality Egg of New England, began implementing provisions of this rule in January 2010, more than six months in advance of this effective date. The Maine SE prevention program actually includes measures that surpass those of FDA's new rule. According to the state, Maine has not had an egg-associated outbreak of SE linked to Maine eggs since its program began more than 20 years ago.

At Quality Egg of New England, your trust in us is essential. Helping you remain confident in the eggs we produce and ensuring that our eggs are safe and nutritious is our mission - and our responsibility.