August 8, 2014

Egg Farmers of Alberta Launches Youth Program

Egg Farmers of Alberta is excited to announce the launch of the Youth Development Program (YDP), which was established to help attract young farmers into the egg industry.  Building on the success of the New Entrant Program, the YDP is another initiative to enhance Alberta’s vibrant egg industry and ensure it remains sustainable for generations.

The goal of the YDP is to support youth in a way that helps educate them about egg farming, while providing a framework to develop future agricultural leaders.  The YDP aims to help foster the passion these young farmers have for farming, and to familiarize them with Alberta’s dynamic egg industry.

“Adding new farmers is always an exciting time for our industry, in terms of growth and gaining new perspectives, but the Youth Development Program adds an entirely new twist of being able to cultivate those who could become part of the next generation of Alberta egg farmers.”                            – Susan Gal, General Manager, EFA

The YDP will accept a maximum of 20 unregistered young egg farmers on a first-come, first-serve basis, for a maximum of 10 years.  The YDP will ensure that the eggs from participating farms are produced in accordance with industry standards for on-farm food safety and animal care; compliance will result in a 50% levy rebate.  The YDP has also been designed to ensure that these producers, as well as the marketers of their product, will meet all of the provincial regulatory requirements, just like every registered egg producer.

One of the benefits of the uniquely Canadian system of supply management is that it provides farming enthusiasts with the opportunity to raise egg laying hens without the need for quota (up to 300 hens in Alberta), which is exactly what the young farmers the YDP is targeting have been doing.  Egg Farmers of Alberta is proud of both the New Entrant Program and Youth Development Program, which promote the growth and sustainability of the egg industry.

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