Sask. farmers express concern over proposed food safety amendments surrounding sale of eggs

WATCH: Some vendors at Regina’s Farmers’ Market are not pleased with an amendment to Saskatchewan’s food safety regulations. Sierra D’Souza Butts explains.

Jim White is one of the few producers who are concerned about Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health proposed amendments to restrict the sale of farm eggs at farmers’ and public markets.

Growing up on a dairy farm in England, Jim White now owns a chicken coup of his own near Lumsden.

“What we do is organic, and I know we’re doing a superior product for people,” he expressed.

Under the Food Safety Regulations (2025) Amendments in section 5.1, the province said they intend to clarify current legislation which does “not change the current requirements with respect to sale of eggs at farmers and public markets.”

“Farmer’s Markets are regulated public food facilities which must comply with The Public Health Act, 1994, and The Food Safety Regulations which are enforced by the Saskatchewan Health Authority,” stated Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health.

“Inspection of eggs prior to sale at farmer’s or public markets help ensure the product is stored, handled and transported safely under conditions which minimize the likelihood of contamination by bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella.”

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Regina’s Farmers' Market shared its concerns on the amendment, saying it will negatively affect local producers and customers.

“We’re at a time when everybody’s talking about supporting local and keeping our dollars Canadian and that’s very important. Adding this new regulation will make it even harder for people to connect with local producers,” said executive director Holly Laird.

“We don’t want to do that. We want to see barriers taken away. Of course, we’re all for food safety and healthy safe food, but in this case there’s no health concern related to the eggs that are at the farmer’s market.”

As for White, he is worried about the impact this will have on his bottom line.

“Well if they stop us selling eggs at the farmers market, then we’ll have to find other ways around selling to customers that we already have at the farmers market, but not being able to sell them out there,” he said.

“Some customers are committed to buying local, but only if the farmers market is available.”

According to a statement from the provincial ministry of health, the current regulations allow egg producers to sell uninspected eggs directly to a consumer, but not at any public markets.

“To be considered legal for sale at farmer’s and public markets, eggs must have been washed, graded, remain whole and uncracked, and be held at a temperature of four-degrees Celsius. Labels on packaging must indicate they have been inspected,” the statement read.