The
federal government is giving more than $100,000 to the Egg Farmers of Canada,
the national agency that runs supply management for egg farmers.
That blasts another hole in the claim of the marketing board fraternity that it doesn't get any government subsidies.
Agriculture
Minister Gerry Ritz said the money is to “integrate its existing assurance systems into a single
system that will be known as the National Quality Code for eggs.”
Why the national agency needs taxpayer subsidies to that kind of job is rather hard to fathom.
Ritz did not say how much more than $100,000 the government is giving the agency. I guess it could be anything.
“The
streamlined National Quality Code program will provide egg producers and
graders with an all-in-one certification program that addresses food safety,
traceability and animal care,” the government said in its news release.
“Once
implemented, the code could enhance the competitiveness of the poultry sector
by strengthening its capacity to make credible and verifiable claims.”
Now wouldn't that be a remarkable and welcome change, especially here in Ontario where random-sample audits reveal that packaging claiming the eggs in the carton are Grade A is, well, simply not true.
