Safety rules for Maine egg farms will be under the spotlight as a U.S. congressional committee inspects state inspection records and documents related to three farms linked to Jack DeCoster. DeCoster is the owner of an Iowa farm that produced 380 million eggs that had to be recalled due to possible salmonella contamination, the Associated Press reported. Maine state veterinarian Don Hoenig said the state's regulations are stricter than federal laws and no commercial chicken farm buildings have tested positive for salmonella since October 2009. He told the AP that the state requires vaccinations of young birds for salmonella, follow-up testing to guarantee the vaccinations were effective, and increased inspections and cleaning of buildings.
|