Good Eggs: Farmers delight in the glee they see in free-range birds
Posted: June 26, 2013
Categories: Food in the News
A recent article in the Toronto Star by Corey Mintz profiles Sweda Farms, located in Blackstock, just east of Port Perry, and run by Marianne and Svante Lind. Formerly large-scale egg producers, the Linds have recently converted their operation into a cage-free facility comprised entirely of free range chickens.
In the article, Josey Kitson of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) remarks that there is an increasing demand from consumers, as well as a willingness to pay more, for eggs coming from farms where chickens are treated humanely. Kitson states, “We started a fascinating study with an economist named Jayson Lusk. When we provided in-store signage that clearly directed people to the different types of eggs, sales of cage-free eggs jumped 43 per cent.”
The article also highlights some of the obstacles small and medium-scale egg farmers face, hinting at possible reforms that will benefit diverse forms of egg farming and production:
“Supply management was meant to protect the family farm,” says Svante, who has lost none of his Swedish accent. “There’s not many family farms left. And they’re squeezing them out. Each dozen we produce, 35 or 40 cents goes to the (egg marketing) board, for nothing. We don’t get anything for that. If they took away the levy, small farms would be able to produce and meet the market and be affordable for the consumer. That’s what we’re working for. We’re not there yet.”
Click here to read the full article.
For more information on reforming the supply management system to benefit new and small-scale poultry famers, visit Sustain’s Flocking Options site.