An aerial view of Bayview Poultry Farms in Masstown, Nova Scotia.Supplied
A continuing series of extreme weather events and disruptions in global food supply chains have highlighted the need to address the twin challenges of climate change and food security.
This heightened awareness inspires a closer look at the carbon footprint of everyday choices, including the food we eat. According to a recent survey by Egg Farmers of Canada, a vast majority of Canadians (88 per cent) feel it is important that the food they buy is produced sustainably.
Egg farmers across the country welcome this mindset. From knowing that food is a basic necessity – and that agriculture has a significant role to play when it comes to protecting our planet – they have reduced energy usage, water consumption and land footprints over the past five decades with new technology, life-cycle thinking and a rigorous analysis of on-farm practices.
“For egg farming, which has an economic impact of $1.37-billion and supports over 18,500 jobs, efforts to reduce the sector’s collective environmental impact go hand in hand with the goal of strengthening the Canadian food system,” notes Glen Jennings, a fourth-generation egg farmer from Nova Scotia. “Sustainability has become a way of life for egg farmers such as myself. We know that the more sustainable egg production becomes, the more value the ubiquitous egg – nutritious, accessible and easy to prepare – will have for future generations.”
For egg farming, which has an economic impact of $1.37-billion and supports over 18,500 jobs, efforts to reduce the sector’s collective environmental impact go hand in hand with the goal of strengthening the Canadian food system.
— Glen Jennings, A fourth-generation egg farmer from Nova Scotia
Here are five key ways in which Canadian egg farmers champion sustainable production:
1
Matching Supply with Canadian Demand
Canadian eggs are a local food source, with farmers in all 10 provinces and the Northwest Territories working together through the system of supply management to produce the eggs that the market requires while adjusting to changing conditions.
Beyond ensuring a steady supply of eggs, this co-ordinated approach to egg production allows egg farmers to work with their downstream partners to increase efficiency, minimize food waste and redirect surplus eggs to new markets. It also enables them to reinvest in their farming operations to support the long-term viability of made-in-Canada food.
2
Adhering To World-Class Standards And Quality Assurance
For Canadian egg farmers, the health and welfare of their hens is a top priority and key to sustainable farming. All egg farmers participate in a national, comprehensive Animal Care Program, which considers the latest science and animal welfare knowledge to promote excellence in animal care.
Egg farmers also take pride in delivering safe, high-quality eggs to Canadians. Each egg is produced to meet strict national food safety standards.
3
Reducing Emissions
A variety of resources, including the National Environmental Sustainability and Technology Tool (NESTT), enable Canadian egg farmers to improve their environmental impact. NESTT, for example, helps them set sustainability goals, create action plans and track progress. Furthermore, wind, solar and other alternative energy sources are increasingly being used to power farms and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Improved animal feed also helps to reduce the environmental footprint of egg production.
Using new technology and practices to manage farm waste like manure and the reusing, recycling and composting of waste materials are also important parts of the efforts, serving to not only mitigate the environmental impacts of waste on water, soil and air but to advance a circular economy approach to egg farming.
4
Supporting Future Canadian Farmers
The stability and long-term sustainability of the egg industry are important to egg farmers, especially since farming is often a family business. The egg farming sector employs thousands of Canadians both directly and indirectly, and helps maintain local rural infrastructure, benefiting the entire food system and overall economy.
In order to ensure the longevity of the industry – and to continue to provide high-quality eggs to Canadians for years to come – egg farmers are investing in their farming practice and the next generation of farmers. Through programming that empowers young and women farmers, egg farmers build leadership skills, expand their overall knowledge and share best practices by connecting with fellow leaders and other egg farmers across Canada.
5
A Future-Forward Approach
Farmer-led efforts to reduce emissions, enhance the health and welfare of hens, and empower community members through sustainability initiatives and programs have led to a solid track record in achievements over the decades while Canadian egg farmers set their sights on the future and collectively commit to continuing to care for our planet.
The sector’s approach to sustainability is holistic and fulsome, taking into consideration how egg farmers treat the environment and animals, how they work with their communities and the economic sustainability of farming operations.
The goal? To advance food sustainability and food security at the same time while preserving the domestic egg farming industry for future generations to ensure Canadians have a reliable, sustainable, high-quality, fresh and local food source they can trust.
Fourth-generation egg farmer Glen Jennings and his son Blake see their profession as a source of pride.Supplied
Egg Farmers across the country embrace their leadership role in sustainable food production with a view of ensuring the longevity of the sector. Mr. Jennings, for one, considers it “a privilege and a responsibility to be an egg farmer and to provide a consistent supply of locally produced nutritious eggs.
“Egg farming follows a rhythm, with tasks that repeat every day and every season. And while the changes we make are gradual, they contribute to broader developments and innovations across the sector over time,” he says. “Our grandparents would be amazed to see how we do things today. Yet our ancestors would find it perfectly normal that the land still provides a living for their descendants as well as quality food for our fellow Canadians.”
Find out more about what makes Canadian egg farming and eggs so sustainable at eggfarmers.ca.
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with Egg Farmers of Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.