Roger Pelissero in The Globe and Mail: A vibrant history and bright future for the Canadian egg

In a recent letter published in The Globe and Mail, third generation egg farmer and Egg Farmers of Canada Chair, Roger Pelissero, takes a moment to reflect following our 50th anniversary. Read on to learn about our world-class farming standards, commitment to sustainability and connections to our local communities—the care, knowledge and passion behind every egg.

Care, knowledge and passion: A vibrant history and bright future for the Canadian egg

By Roger Pelissero, third generation egg farmer and Chair of Egg Farmers of Canada

This year marks a special year for egg farmers across the country as we celebrate Egg Farmers of Canada’s 50th anniversary.

As an egg farmer myself, I know that behind every egg is a story of care, knowledge and passion. So, as Egg Farmers of Canada celebrates this important milestone, I wanted to share with you some of the efforts we’ve enacted to make sure that our world-class farming standards, commitment to sustainability and connections to our local communities remain a top priority.

At the heart of these efforts is collaboration. We work closely with animal welfare experts, veterinarians, scientists, government and supply chain stakeholders to develop industry standards and practices that all Canadian egg farmers follow, such as our national Animal Care Program and Start Clean-Stay Clean®  food safety program. We’re constantly looking for ways to evolve these programs, leveraging the latest tech developments, scientific discoveries, and understandings about animal welfare. Backed by Egg Quality Assurance™, a certification program that visually shows Canadians their eggs are produced by Canadian farmers and meet rigorous standards, Canada’s egg farming practices are among the best in the world.

Producing high-quality eggs is about more than regulations, though. The reason why our industry is strong is because of the commitment of the hardworking people behind it. There are over 1,200 egg farmers across the country who are producing a well-loved kitchen staple as their passion—some of whom have grown up in farming families, and others are embracing a new future in the sector.

Our 50th anniversary doesn’t just provide an opportunity to reflect on the vibrant history of Canadian egg farming. It’s a chance to look at what’s ahead.

You can see how Canada’s egg farmers inspire each other to embrace sustainable farming practices and work toward collective goals. Another great example of this is our commitment to phasing out conventional cages and moving to alternative methods of production. And we’re making substantial, real progress in that regard and in our commitment to provide the millions of Canadians who rely on eggs every day with incredible choices in the range of eggs available to them for purchase.

Because of the coordination and commitment of our farmers, we’re set to achieve our goals ahead of schedule. No other country could transform its egg production this broadly and quickly. That’s something to be proud of.

Our 50th anniversary doesn’t just provide an opportunity to reflect on the vibrant history of Canadian egg farming. It’s a chance to look at what’s ahead.

Embarking on the next 50 years, there’s even more to celebrate. We’ve got our sights set on new research, innovation and technical advancements to support more sustainable agricultural practices and a collective goal of working towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Producing high-quality eggs is about more than regulations, though. The reason why our industry is strong is because of the commitment of the hardworking people behind it.

Just as importantly, our egg farmers will continue to be your neighbours, community members, and fellow Canadians in the years ahead, and we’ll never stop working to deliver the eggs that you love. Thank you to the millions of Canadians who support and enjoy Canadian eggs. Without you, and our farmers, we wouldn’t be celebrating this exciting milestone. Here’s to another great 50 years!

Roger Pelissero is a third generation egg farmer from St. Ann’s, Ontario. He is also the Chair of Egg Farmers of Canada.

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