Egg Farmers of Ontario hold annual local meeting

in front- Sally Van Straaten, elected Zone Ontario Egg Farmer director for Perth and Waterloo counties, and Scott Helps, chair of Egg Farmers of Ontario, sit in front of Egg Zone councillors and delegates. Pictured here in the front row are: Julie Wynette, Erin Gerber, Rita Reynen, Paul Neeb, Scott Graham, Brett Graham and Kayla Veldman. In the back are Mike Ready, Clarence Martin, John Erica DeWeerd, Tyler Harper, Gary Wagler, Delmar Schultz, Henry Groenestege, Andy DeWeerd, Josh Veldman, Anthony DeWeerd and Rick Roes. Absent was Amanda Cook, Allan Drost, Adam West and Jeff Rundle.

Newly re-elected director of Egg Farmers of Ontario’s Zone 6, Sally Van Straaten, told the Times that the good news for egg eaters is that area egg farmers will be doing their best to keep shelves at grocery stores full with many types of Grade A eggs.

At last week’s zone meeting in Stratford, which encompasses farmers from Perth and Waterloo counties, producers of both pullets (young growing hens) and eggs learned there is still a strong demand for all types of local eggs, including free run, free range, nest laid and Omega 3-in all those egg-types listed above.

Grade A large white eggs continue to be the most in demand at less than $4 a dozen (the price of a dozen eggs in Florida on Jan. 25th was $5.49 in U.S. dollars). Brown eggs and those on the organic shelves are still giving grocery buyers the choice they have come to expect.

About 37.3 million dozen shell eggs were sold in Ontario last year, a reported increase of 9.7 per cent over the year before.

Scott Helps, who continues to chair the Egg Farmers of Ontario board of directors, was in attendance, and assured producers that the cost of production continues to be undertaken, to assure both producers and consumers that Ontario farmed eggs, will compete with any country in the world on quality and price.

He said with independent provincial and federal inspections continually taking place on area farms, egg consumers should remain confident when seeing the “Egg Quality Assurance” logo and the “Start Clean, Stay Clean” stamp of approval from inspectors through Egg Farmers of Canada.

Helps also said, “Leaders in provincial and federal egg organizations want consumers to know, the eggs they are buying are of the highest quality from laying hens that are housed with their natural behaviours and comfort in mind.

“This would include perch and scratching areas,” Helps continued. “Darkened egg laying and nesting areas, with an abundance of room, with quality air in winter or summer, fresh clean tested water and feed that is balanced to produce eggs with protein, vitamins and minerals that they have become known for, through past decades.”

Van Straaten, an egg farmer from north-west of Stratford near Sebringville, was re-elected to represent the Perth-Waterloo area for another year. She has been in that roll for four years and says she and husband Mike have raised their four children, who are all involved in barn chores and the operation of their family farm with eggs and field crops, while also operating their on-farm drying and grain handling and storage facility.

Both Sally and Mike were raised on generational farms in Perth County, and their hope is one or all of their children will also be part of the ongoing family farm and operation in the years to come.

Van Straaten stated after she was elected, that her role as director has been an incredible journey, deepening her understanding of the egg industry and also the challenges faced – along with the opportunities that were ahead. She is committed to strong representation on the 10 member Ontario board, advocating for the best interest of Zone 6 egg farmers while supporting a sustainable and successful egg sector in Ontario.