Are your Eggs Friendly?

Have you ever thought about where your eggs come from?

Nowadays, many people are concerned not only with the quality of the food that they eat, but about the way that the food has been produced. This has been highlighted over recent years by various programmes hosted by celebrity chefs who are not only concerned about producing high quality dishes for their customers, but who also care about animal welfare.

Egg production is one area that has come under the spotlight. Currently eggs are produced using several farming systems: Caged (which includes ‘barren’ battery cages which are bare wire cages and ‘enriched’ cages which are similar to conventional battery cages, but provide limited facilities for nesting, perching and scratching); Barn and Free Range (which includes organically produced eggs). Under new European legislation conventional battery cages will be banned in 2012, however, enriched cages will still be allowed. Please see related links to find out how each of these systems work.

Rochford District Council has a history of supporting good animal welfare practices, indeed, when the Councils Animal Welfare Charter was formulated in 2005, it included a section on Factory Farming stating:

‘The Council regrets the use of intensive/factory farming and would seek that a kinder approach to farming be adopted and requests that Members of Parliament support any legislation that will improve animal welfare conditions. The Council encourages consumers to check food labelling very carefully and to seek assistance from store managers if they are unsure of their meaning in an effort to encourage a kinder approach to farming.’

Rochford District Council have responded positively to concerns regarding egg production and it is now Council policy that only free range whole eggs are used in any catering supplied to or by the Council.

The Council is aware everyone has budgets that they have to stick to, but it would urge both businesses and shoppers to consider using free range whole eggs if at all possible. Even if costs prohibit the use of free range whole eggs, why not consider using less expensive non-caged eggs.

If you feel that you want to be extra egg friendly and use products, such as ready made quiches or mayonnaise, that contain free range eggs only, you can now download a guide from the RSPCA website that lists products that only use free range eggs. Please see related links to download a copy of this guide.