Fire destroys Alberta egg business

Fire has destroyed Sparks Farms, one of Alberta's most significant egg businesses.

Before the fire

I hope it is pure coincidence that the day before, Melissa Snyder, who writes a blog under Hoosier in Canada, posted these e-mails from electronic files the whistleblower took from L.H. Gray & Son Ltd.
They are between owner Bill Gray and Scott Brookshaw, his vice-president of operations:


“Scott:  I was talking to Meb (Gilani, owner of Sparks Farms) & he re-grades the loose (eggs) from the U.S. into Canadian cartons.  If we require more than 2 loads per week, we could do the same.  I don’t like the inv. Levels at both plants.  Bill”
“Meb can’t legally do that unless you have a USDA symbol on the carton.  If we have a carton with a USDA symbol then we can do that.  Scott”

After the fire

“He said CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) will allow it this year only.  I assume he is re-grading in the off hours.  Bill”


The fire destroyed the family's egg-grading business which handles half of Alberta's eggs supplied by about 80 producers. The company plans to rebuild the egg-grading business as fast as possible.

It has about 50 employees.

Also destroyed in the fire were about 23,000 layers.