Canada invests on new egg traceability standards

Canadian egg producers will now have a set of national traceability standards, thanks to a new investment from the government of Canada.

Minister Gerry Ritz announced the investment of over CA$800,000 (US$760,694) in funding for Egg Farmers of Canada during the organisation's annual general meeting.

"Canadian farmers produce premium eggs and this investment in traceability will build on that world-class reputation for safety and quality," said Ritz. "A national traceability system will give Canadian farmers a competitive edge by clearly demonstrating our commitment to safety and quality at every step of production, from farm gate to plate," he said.

This funding will support the development of the Canadian Egg Industry Traceability System (CEITS), which will include processes and operating procedures for tracing the movement of eggs, pullets and eggs laying birds.

The funds will also help establish database requirements for egg and bird traceability information required by government. This will help support the progressive approach taken by the Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) in taking traceability beyond the livestock industry.

EFC is the first organisation of the poultry industry to move forward with the development of a traceability system.

This investment is provided through the Canadian Integrated Food Safety Initiative (CIFSI) which helps the sector respond to growing consumer demands for improved on-farm food safety assurance and proactively manage risks.