Egg producers in Manitoba who operate outside of the supply management system can now have up to 300 laying hens on their farms.
According Brenda Bazylewski, director of communications with the Manitoba Egg Farmers, this change brings Manitoba in line with the egg boards in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and it was a unanimous decision by the board to make the change.
"Our producers certainly haven't been complaining. All of our board of directors are regulated egg farmers and it was a unanimous decision to increase it. We haven't had any negative feedback from our farmers, they recognize that there are some small entrepreneurs who want to get into the egg business on a smaller scale, and so this gives them an opportunity to do that."
Bazylewski says this change is geared towards people looking to get involved in a small-scale farming business by creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs.
"I know the province is behind opportunities to give small unregulated farmers that are not within the system an opportunity to raise hens, sell products from their farm gate that is ungraded and give folks a chance to get into the egg farming business on a much smaller scale. So that's really our thinking behind it."
The previous limit was 99 hens.
