Brady Owens

Good afternoon, Chair and members of the Environment and Agriculture Committee. My name is Brady Owens, and I live in Nashua, New Hampshire. I oppose HB1186 and urge a strong "inexpedient to legislate" vote or major amendments.This bill adds new regulations—mandatory refrigeration for all eggs (even nest run/unwashed), producer contact info on every package, and ties to USDA standards—without any demonstrated problem in New Hampshire. There are no recent salmonella outbreaks, consumer complaints, or enforcement crises tied to local egg sales, backyard flocks, or farm stands in our state. Eggs have been sold safely unwashed and unrefrigerated for thousands of years; the natural cuticle protects them. Humans thrived on them long before "modern" rules.Small producers and homesteaders already face enough burdens. Federal law exempts flocks under 3,000 hens from many requirements—why doesn't this bill? Adding compliance costs (coolers, labels, potential fines up to $5,000) will discourage local food freedom without improving safety. Consumers who want washed, graded, refrigerated eggs can buy them at any grocery store. Those who prefer fresh, local, unprocessed eggs should have that choice too. This isn't about health—it's unnecessary bureaucracy creeping into self-reliant NH traditions. "Live Free or Die" means keeping government hands off backyard eggs. Please kill this bill or amend it to: Exempt small producers (mirror federal <3,000 hens). Carve out unwashed/nest run eggs sold direct from refrigeration and labeling mandates. Thank you for your time. I'd be happy to answer questions. Brady Owens Nashua NH