As part of this year’s Terroir speaking sessions, Chef Matt Basile, an Egg Farmers of Canada ambassador, and Anneke Stickney, a second-generation Canadian egg farmer, met to discuss the power of partnerships between chefs and farmers. In case you missed it, here are some of the key takeaways from their talk:

1

Canada’s system of supply management has helped support farmers, chefs and Canadians through a difficult year

While both Chef Matt and Anneke agreed that the COVID-19 health crisis has been challenging so far, they also discussed how it has put a spotlight on our food system and the important role that farmers, chefs, food processors and others take on. In the early stages of the pandemic, Canadians began to show an increased interest in what it takes to bring their food from farm to plate, and that interest has only continued to grow.

As egg farmers, we feel particularly thankful for the system of supply management that allowed our sector to remain strong throughout the pandemic. Despite the additional pressures COVID-19 has placed on the overall food system, egg farmers persevered and ensured that Canadians continued to have access to a secure supply of fresh food by balancing temporary market shifts and redirecting eggs to where they are most needed—like local food banks. This was an incredible accomplishment, made possible by supply management.

2

Farmers and chefs share a common commitment to maintaining high standards and delivering fresh, locally sourced products for Canadians

Chefs follow rigorous standards when it comes to the food they cook, and similarly, Anneke and all other Canadian egg farmers across the country follow strict food safety and animal welfare standards in their work.

In fact, every registered Canadian egg farmer follows a program called Egg Quality Assurance™ (or EQA™ for short), which adds a certification mark to the eggs you know and love, a symbol of the remarkable quality and world-leading standards of made-in-Canada eggs.

That means whether you’re enjoying Canadian eggs in your own kitchen or from a restaurant, you can be assured that your eggs are fresh, local and high-quality, thanks to the efforts of Canadian egg farmers.

3

Farmers work for today, tomorrow and for the future

For Chef Matt, Anneke and all Canadian egg farmers, their work isn’t just about feeding Canadians for today, it’s also about feeding Canadians for years to come. Thanks to this shared priority, chefs like Matt can use Canadian eggs as a perfect low-carbon protein to create sustainable dishes.

Canadian egg farmers have actually reduced the environmental impact of the egg industry by 50 percent over 50 years, all while production increased by 50 percent— and they continue to find innovative ways to improve their processes. As these improvements are made, Canadian egg farmers are also investing in the next generation, ensuring that egg farming can remain a strong, stable Canadian trade for years to come.

Canadian egg farmers also love to meet with chefs about the thing they mutually love—fresh, local and high-quality food! If you’re a chef or you’re in the Canadian culinary industry and you’re interested in finding out more about egg farming in Canada, please reach out to us at eggfarmers.ca or join us for a virtual farm tour.