The latest twist in Rosemary Giberson’s fight with the Alberta Egg Marketing Board has little to do with egg production.
The organic egg producer, who has defied a board order to reduce her flock of hens from 600 to 300, appeared in Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary on Nov. 7 to hear whether her lawyer may represent her farm.
The egg board has filed a brief asking that Calgary lawyer Keith Groves be disqualified because he formerly worked for a legal firm that represented the board. It was argued in court that Groves could have confidential information about the internal workings of the board that places him in a conflict of interest.
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Justice Rosemary Nation reserved her decision.
Giberson said her farm will be adversely affected if the court doesn’t rule in her favor.
“If Groves is disqualified and we can’t find anyone, we will have to downsize.”
She and her husband Dean have requested a hearing with the egg board to apply for an exemption that would allow them to continue their organic production without a quota.
Under supply management rules, an egg quota is required if farmers have more than 300 birds.
The Gibersons’ organic farm sells its eggs through Calgary health food stores and farmers’ markets. Its 600 layers produce more than 14,000 dozen eggs per year.
