Posted: July 2nd, 2011 - 6:09pm by Doug Powell

Jack DeCoster, the Iowa egg producer whose farms were involved in a salmonella outbreak last year that sickened almost 2,000 people and led to a recall of 500 million eggs, is maybe getting out of the egg biz.

The Des Moines Register reports two Iowa farm families will lease and manage the DeCoster egg operation for up to nine years with an option to purchase Ohio's largest egg farm operation from DeCoster.

The Deans and Hennings will take over Ohio Fresh Eggs farms in Licking, Hardin and Wyandot counties. The Licking operations are expanding.

J.T. Dean of Sioux Center, Ia., said, "Jack DeCoster made the decision to exit the business and we were working with them on the Iowa production facilities, and we started discussing Ohio and fell in love with it.”

"This has all happened pretty quickly. I just see a lot of potential. (The facilities) just need to be managed properly. I think we need to be very honest and open."

"There's not much I can do to change perception, other than be a good operator and let time heal those wounds.”