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.