11 September 2026
On September 11, 2026, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, in conjunction with the Vermont Department of Health, issued a public recall notice for Grade A pasture-raised organic shell eggs produced by Leaping Bear Farm in Reading, Vermont. The regulatory action followed laboratory confirmation on September 10, 2026, isolating Salmonella Enteritidis from both shell eggs and environmental drag-swab samples collected at the facility.
At least 14 confirmed clinical cases of salmonellosis in Vermont have been linked via whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to the farm's outbreak strain. Genetically matched cases have also been detected in neighboring states, though health officials have not yet disclosed interstate case counts or hospitalization tallies.
The layer flock consists of approximately 1,800 birds. In the United States, operations with fewer than 3,000 laying hens fall beneath the threshold of the FDA Egg Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 118), exempting them from mandatory routine environmental and egg testing protocols.
Egg distribution and sales have been suspended pending comprehensive biosecurity remediation and clearance from state agricultural authorities.
