Producer Environmental Egg Program

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Egg Farmers of Alberta launched the Producer Environmental Egg Program (PEEP), the Canadian egg industry’s first environmental program in 2014. PEEP is a voluntary provincial program that is intended to help Alberta egg farmers better identify their impacts on the environment and facilitate the use of best practices. This will help to ensure that resources are being managed in a sustainable manner and that the Alberta egg industry continues to be recognized as a source of fresh, high-quality local food, which is produced in an environmentally responsible manner.

Though still a voluntary program, 100% of registered Alberta egg farmers have participated in PEEP, finding tremendous value in the insights it offers. PEEP provides farmers with information about the impact of their on-farm activities and helps them establish goals for improvement. The PEEP assessment is focused on key impact areas as follows:

Water Consumption

  • Water system and conservation

Energy Use

  • Lighting
  • Building insulation
  • Heating and ventilation
  • Cooler insulation
  • Cooler fans and motors
  • Monitoring

Manure Management

  • Manure storage location and capacity
  • Nutrient management planning

Waste and By-Product Disposal

  • Mortalities and end of lay hens
  • Wash water discharge

Focusing on best practices in the above areas helps farmers identify and address environmental risks and opportunities, to reduce their environmental footprint.

Portions of PEEP were derived from the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP), which is a more extensive program available to all agricultural producers across Alberta. EFA believes that the key to effective environmental management is through a systematic approach to planning, controlling, measuring, and improving environmental performance. PEEP is helping EFA track industry-wide trends and significant changes in egg farming practices that will contribute to the long-term sustainability of Alberta’s egg industry.