Vegetative buffers are essential on farms

 At Freeranger Eggs, more than half of our property is covered with native vegetation, providing vital habitat for wildlife as well as sequestering carbon and reducing any potential water contamination.

Paul Patterson, professor of poultry science at Pennsilvania State University believes that trees and other vegetation are essential on poultry farms, He says that vegetative buffers filter and trap dust, odour, and ammonia .

Riparian species slow and buffer roof water and road and yard runoff, as well as filter nutrients and sediments.

Shelter belts around the farm protect birds from winter winds

During hot weather, shade trees block the solar heat load on barns, reducing energy expenditures.

Screen poultry management activities using buffers composed of attractive trees and shrubs that can also landscape and beautify the barns and farm.

Plant riparian species near yards, roof runoff, and drainage ways to control runoff and absorb excess nutrients that can pollute the water.

The Victorian Government and Bass Coast Shire don't share our attitude about the need for vegetation, they are encouraging wholesale habitat destruction all around us to facilitate sand extraction. Natiuve species such as Koalas. tree goannas and platypus are now at risk of regional extinction.

Avian flu warning from Invasive Species Council

 

Australia’s Invasive Species Council says the country is not prepared for the potential arrival of a deadly form of avian influenza.

The Council was formed in 2002 to urge stronger laws and policies to protect our natural systems from harmful pests and diseases. It recently called on the government to draft a national response plan for a possible outbreak of avian influenza in the wild. Avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 was first documented in Indonesia in 2017. It has become prevalent in chickens in many provinces of Indonesia as a result of reassortment in live bird markets. Low pathogenic avian influenza subtype H9N2 virus-infected poultry provides a new direction for the influenza virus. According to the latest research, the Indonesian H9N2 viruses may have developed through antigenic drift into a new genotype, posing a significant hazard to poultry and public health.

Poultry farmers in Quebec are grappling with a series of outbreaks of deadly avian flu, causing the deaths of nearly a million birds. The latest proof of interspecies transmission proposes that the next human pandemic variant will be the avian influenza virus subtype H9N2.

Egg producers hit with another levy

 In its latest Budget, the Australian Labor Government has imposed another levy on egg farmers.

The laying chickens levy was first introduced in 1988. All laying chickens in Australian hatcheries attract the  levy. The department collects and disburses the levy to Animal Health Australia, Australian Eggs Limited and the National Residue Survey to fund activities including animal biosecurity projects, pest and disease incursion responses, research and development and animal product residue monitoring.

The total of levies paid was15.27 cents per laying chicken now an extra 3.25 cent biosecurity levy has been added, taking the total payable to 18.52 cents which is a big hit for major producers who replace millions of birds every year. Commercial layer flocks in this country total about 20 million hens.

Half of all eggs in Australia are claimed to be free range

 According to the industry group Australian Eggs, almost half of the eggs sold in Australia are free range. It says 47% of all eggs sold in this country are freerange. The only problem with that is that the meaning of the term has been trashed by big business and politicians. Now, virtually all eggs sold in supermarkets are produced in intensive facilities that should be described as cage eggs,cage free or barn laid. If you want to start your own genuine free range farm,  check out our ebook and our website freeranger.com.au

How to set up your own freerange farm

 Clear consumer demand for free range eggs has generated a strong increase in the number of people throughout the world thinking about starting their own ethical and sustainable free range egg businesses. Every township should be largely self-sufficient in food production. It makes no sense to truck food across the country when it can be supplied locally.

A good starting point is reading the eBook on starting a free range farm available on the Freeranger Eggs website Detailed information is available about things like shed requirements, food safety, egg packaging and labelling.

When deciding to set up a free range egg farm, take the time to plan it properly. Find out the zoning of the land and talk to your local Council planning department about their requirements. It’s also worth contacting the State Department of Agriculture. On-line resources can be found in most states.

Free range farming can help to mitigate the effects of climate change.

A report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted the importance of sustainable agriculture. Freeranger Eggs at Grantville in Victoria is an example of sustainable farming.

Freeranger Eggs is doing more than Governments to combat carbon emissions and climate change.

The Freeranger Eggs farm management plan takes a three pillars approach to how the farm operates. Animal welfare is one pillar, but equally important are land sustainability and food safety. Growth is not a part of our philosophy. we need to encourage people to set up more farms, not upscale existing farms. We believe that will support more people working the land fairly and will ensure long-term food security. An eBook is available from  as a ‘How to’ guide in establishing a farm Freeranger Eggs

New Avian Influenza vaccines

 Agriculture officers in America are testing four vaccines which they hope will stop the latest outbreak of a highly pathogenic avian influenza that has devastated  poultry farms and driven up egg prices. The Government plans to launch a national vaccination campaign.

Two of the vaccines being tested were developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The others are from animal drugmaker Zoetis and Merck Animal Health, which were developed in 2015 but not used. It will take up to two years before commercial quantities of vaccine are available to match the currently circulating virus s, H5N1. In the US alone, almost 60 million farm-raised birds have died or been killed to stop the spread.