DELISLE, Sask. – Increasing egg production in Saskatchewan and protecting the supply managed industry are the priorities for two new members of the Saskatchewan Egg Producers board.
Cliff Colborn of Colborn Farms Ltd. near Delisle, and Jim Teichrob of Amberlea Farms near Pike Lake, were appointed to the positions this fall after the mid-term departures of board members Tim and Don Wiens.
Colborn, who grows feed, runs a 250-head cow-calf operation and has quota for 20,000 chickens, said the enterprises of the incorporated farm sustain a large extended family.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“There is enough for everyone as long as the supply managed system continues,” he said.
“It’s very important we keep it. It will give us a little bit of breathing room.”
He pointed to the difficulties felt by cattle producers due to a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy found in Alberta this year.
The Colborns are unsure what the outcome of international trade talks will mean for their laying flock. If supply management systems are jeopardized, they fear the Canadian market would be flooded with American eggs.
Colborn said their grain and cattle enterprises would have to be increased to fill any shortfalls, but the egg quota would be missed.
“It’s one of the more profitable enterprises of the farm and keeps everything going. It’s important to this farm and to anybody else that has it,” he said. “We’d rather keep our supply managed system than have government support.”
Even though the industry trend is to larger egg producing operations, he said “for smaller producers, quota now is a good contributor to the income of the farm.”
As the egg board grapples with waiting lists of producers wishing to acquire quota, Colburn said it is considering various possibilities, including auctioning quota.
“That way it gives anybody a chance,” Colburn said.
Ensuring Saskatchewan gets its fair share of quota is Jim Teichrob’s goal as director.
Teichrob, who has 11,500 birds, a pullet growing operation and 80 head of cows, said he is always open to new business ventures on the farm.
“I like to try different things,” he said.
If egg production is increased nationally, both Colburn and Teichrob want Saskatchewan to get some of that.
The amount each province gets is now based on a hen to people population ratio and on market share, which leaves Saskatchewan out of any possible quota increases by the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency.
“We will try to get that changed,” Colborn said.
Teichrob also wants to see a steadier supply of eggs and greater co-operation between provinces to support the egg processing industry.
“We’ll try to get a system so they have a steady flow of eggs,” he said of companies that make powdered eggs and cake mixes.
While Teichrob said it would be good to see more farms with chickens, he said larger operations do offer more efficiencies in production.
“The bigger you are the cheaper you can do it,” he said. “It makes more financial sense to be bigger.”
Teichrob sees a healthy future for the egg industry, noting that prices for quota continue to rise even as trade talks threaten the supply management system.
“That’s what makes me optimistic about it. People are still paying top dollar for quota and spending money in this industry.”
Egg production is facing other challenges, said Teichrob, who noted difficulties in finding renderers to take spent birds. He said renderers charge $1,200 to dispose of a flock of 12,000 birds, with those costs increasing dramatically since the BSE crisis.
“For people who think (egg production) is an easy ride, there are all kinds of challenges.”
Teichrob plans to run in the board election next spring, while Colborn will decide later if he will run.
