Farm Pride revenue slashed by $20 million

 

Farm Pride Foods, one of the biggest Australian egg producers expects the avian influenza outbreak in Victoria to slash this year’s revenue by at least $20 million. The company has a major facility at Lethbridge which is within the forced lockdown area required by Agriculture Victoria. Intensive ‘freerange’ production is a vital income-earner for all egg producers who sell in supermarkets.

What's in a name ?

It's not just the hidden use of colouring additives by many egg producers that is causing waves in the industry, nor the arguments about densities and beak trimming hens on 'free range' farms.  Now one of Australia's largest producers is coming under scrutiny in South Australia for its labelling.

Apparently it is using the name 'Barossa' on eggs which may not produced in that state.

Here's an article from today's Adelaide Advertiser:

A VICTORIAN firm selling eggs under the name Barossa Ridge Farms is being investigated by the state consumer watchdog for potentially breaching labelling laws.
The eggs are being sold in the Barossa Valley but consumers are concerned they may not originate in the world-famous wine region.
Clever marketing - including a large picture of vines on the carton lid - indicates that the eggs are produced in the Barossa but the fine print shows that might not be true.
These eggs are sold by Melbourne-based Farm Pride Foods - formerly the Victorian Egg Marketing Board - and labelled in the fine print as product of Australia.
A carton of the eggs was bought by a shopper at a deli in Tanunda last week and given to Opposition agriculture spokesman David Ridgway over concerns the labelling is misleading.
"I have spoken to the company which said it can't guarantee the eggs are from the Barossa or even from SA," Mr Ridgway said.

He has invited the public to contact him with other misleading advertising examples in order to name and shame offending companies on his website.
And if the Opposition is elected to government next year, he pledged to review labelling laws to provide better protection for South Australian consumers.
Minister for Consumer and Business Services John Rau said he was "outraged" by the labelling.
"I've referred this matter to Consumer and Business Services - as a regulator of Australian Consumer Law - to see whether or not this is an example of misleading or deceptive food labelling," he said yesterday.
The Barossa branch of Regional Development Australia said the misleading use of the region's name to market products is an "issue that has been raised before".
"When you have a brand which comes with as much value as the Barossa Valley, there always will be people looking to exploit it," the Barossa branch chief executive Anne Moroney said.
Barossa Food - representing local food producers - said "with Barossa eggs you would expect the chooks to come from the Barossa Valley".
"It is hoodwinking consumers because they may not recognise the eggs are not from the Barossa," Barossa Food committee member Jan Angus said. "I implore the government to ... help us."

Coles awards for big corporate egg producers

Here's an article from the Bendigo Advertiser.

Bears Lagoon (near Bendigo) chicken farm Novo Farm Pride has been announced as one of three overall winners of the Coles Brand Supplier of the Year.

It won the award with two other egg producers, Queensland’s Sunny Queen and New South Wales’ Pace Farm, because of its moves to sell cage-free eggs.

Novo Farm Pride opened another three state-of-the-art sheds in October last year, doubling the amount of birds at the operation to 180,000.

The company has worked with Coles to define the free-range standard for eggs.

"Free-range eggs have been growing double digits every year for the past five to 10 years, so through discussions with Coles we worked together to expand the farms capacity," national sales and marketing manager Ian Savenake said.

"We have been able to hold sessions and work with Coles to define the free-range standard and meet consumer demand for our welfare-friendly eggs.

"The award is recognition for the whole team from the farmers to people on the grading floor, to admin, to sales." Coles merchandise director John Durkan said the producers had shown leadership in the egg industry by making the move to produce cage-free eggs.
If these eggs were labelled as cage free there would be no issue with consumers or the free range sector of the egg industry. But they are labelled as free range which does not meet consumer expectations or the standards of legimate free range ergg farmers.