Minn. farmer guilty on food-handling charges

Alvin Schlangen
Alvin Schlangen holds a gallon of milk from his delivery truck Thursday, May 10, 2012, near St. Cloud, Minn. A Stearns County jury has found Schlangen guilty on food-handling and egg-storage charges.
AP Photo/The St. Cloud Times, Dave Schwarz

A Stearns County jury has found a Freeport organic egg producer guilty on food-handling and egg-storage charges.

Jurors found Alvin Schlangen guilty on all five charges Thursday.

Schlangen had resisted demands from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that he get a license, refrigerate eggs, and package and label his food accurately.

Schlangen contended he's not in the business of selling food commercially and doesn't need the license.

The St. Cloud Times reports Schlangen will spend the next year on probation and has to pay a $300 fine.

Schlangen won a Hennepin County jury verdict in September that found he did not violate state restrictions on the sale of raw milk. In Stearns County, a charge against Schlangen for selling raw milk was dismissed.

The defense is considering an appeal.

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