Ramona egg ranch makes difficult choice in salmonella outbreak

Happy Hens, the Ramona egg ranch linked by San Diego County’s public health department to a salmonella outbreak that generated 23 cases, is pushing back against a recent statement that asserts its owners are resisting a request for a voluntary recall of its products.

Cases and health response

On Friday, Sept.

4, the county published a statement that said genetic testing “linked the farm to the strains from ill San Diegans.” Investigators compared samples taken by U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors at Happy Hens during a routine inspection in mid-August to test results from local patients who contracted salmonella, most of whom consumed mayonnaise made with raw eggs the county has said came from the ranch.

“The California Department of Public Health shared the FDA results with the owners of Happy Hens and recommended the farm issue an egg recall voluntarily,” the county’s statement said.

“As of Sept.

4, 2026, Happy Hens has not voluntarily issued the request to remove eggs from markets.” Seven of the operation’s 26 barns were tested.

Happy Hens states on its website that its flock contains about 14,000 hens.