Organic egg farm
solicits testimonials from customers
A local health food store is encouraging customers who purchase organic eggs to show their support for a Strathmore producer involved in an ongoing battle with the Alberta Egg Producers Board (AEPB).
About nine months ago, Poplar Bluff Farm, an organic egg producer with 600 hens, was ordered by the board to pay the quota fees required for having more than 300 hens, or to downsize. Farm owner Rosemary Giberson refused, and the parties went to court. Giberson says the judge has not yet ruled on the case, and advised both parties to discuss it.
Meanwhile, she applied for an exemption to the regulations, and the board has requested more information. In response, Giberson is seeking support from people who purchase organic eggs, and Community Natural Foods (CMF) is inviting customers to write testimonials in an effort to convince the Alberta government to change existing regulations.
Suzanne Stoeckle, director of operations at CMF, says the store became involved because it supports organic producers and it wants to offer an alternative to its customers. She believes that the AEPB serves the interests of conventional egg producers who feel threatened by the increased demand for organic products.
"The issue is that egg producers are threatened, and they do not want these people to be exempt from the quota."
Stoeckle says the demand for organic eggs in Alberta already exceeds the supply, so the store has to purchase from B.C. as well.
She is concerned that if the board limits the farm’s ability to produce organic eggs, it will also limit the store’s – and the customer’s – ability to access them.
"There’s no danger of over-production, because we can’t get enough of them."
Stoeckle also points out that the market for organic food is different than for conventional food – people who choose to pay more for organic eggs are doing so for environment, health and/or ethical reasons.
CMF launched a petition when the issue first surfaced, and it has been signed by more than 1,500 people. She expects the government and the board will recognize the importance of the organic market and the fact that it is unique.
"The reality is that the public definitely will tell the government what they want."
However, the marketing and communications manager for the AEPB says the board has no control over the laws and regulations, it simply enforces them – and Poplar Bluff Farm is breaking them.
"It is our responsibility to address that," says Debra White. "We don’t have the power to make or change laws, we only administer them."
She explains that any producer with more than 300 hens is considered to be a commercial venture and must be registered, which requires them to pay quotas. There are 170 commercial operators in Alberta with an average of 9,000 hens per operation, as well as many unregistered producers with less than 300 hens.
White acknowledges that the board has requested more information about Poplar Bluff Farm in consideration of its request for an exemption, but denies that it is reconsidering the issue. She says the judge would like the parties to resolve the issue themselves, but if they don’t, a ruling will be made.
Giberson says that if she has to pay the quotas, she would have to increase the price of her eggs by about one dollar per dozen, penalizing the people who already pay higher prices for organic eggs, and making it more difficult to compete with organic egg farms in B.C. – they are currently exempt from quotas, although it looks like the issue is heating up there as well.
She argues that organic farms are different from conventional producers in several ways, so they should not be regulated the same way. She explains that organic farms are smaller and tend to have fewer hens – they are not kept in small cages, they spend the summer in pasture, they are not treated with antibiotics, the eggs are collected by hand, the feed and water is hauled by hand, etc. As a result, organic eggs cost more to produce and the supply is limited.
Giberson is still holding out hope that the AEPB will reconsider its stance, and says testimonials from customers about why they choose to purchase organic eggs may help.
"If they can just tell their story why they want to do it or why they can’t eat conventional eggs – make it very personal," she says.
"If they (AEPB) want to know why, I think they should know in spades."
CNF will be accepting testimonials at both locations (1304 - 10 Ave. S.W. and 202 - 61 Ave. S.W.), and Giberson says the deadline is January 17. For more information phone 229-2383. |
