OTTAWA — Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) will implement a coordinated, systematic, market-oriented transition from conventional egg production toward other methods of production for supplying eggs — one which takes into account hen welfare, human health, other resource implications, environmental impact and food production sustainability.
“In response to the best-available scientific research and in light of changing consumer preferences, I’m pleased that the entire industry has agreed to an orderly transition plan that will further diversify our production practices,” says Peter Clarke, Chairman of Egg Farmers of Canada. “We see immense potential to leverage research and innovation to achieve the best possible outcomes across all factors of sustainable food production, which includes everything from environmental impacts to food affordability.”
This shift will yield an almost 50-per-cent restructuring in as soon as eight years and includes a commitment to cease the installation of any new conventional housing. Presently about 90 per cent of egg production is done through conventional housing. The other 10 per cent is in enriched housing, free-run, aviary or free-range. Under the plan, to be overseen by a national working group in collaboration with the entire egg supply chain, members of the industry expect all production to be in enriched housing, free-run, aviary or free-range by 2036, assuming the current market conditions prevail.
