We take food for granted, have for the last couple of generations. My Grandmother remembered livestock at home. My mother did not have livestock. I have livestock because of a lifestyle moving towards slow food. There are eggs in the coop to enjoy, though I am not a big egg fan, I do like to bake with them, and sometimes scrambled with cheese melted in. Chickens at EEC Forest Stewardship play many roles on the landscape, eggs are sort of a bonus item, but I feed a grain with high protein for laying hens, so the input cost is high, egg prices help offset this expense. The grain is made in state, fully organic, and without corn and soy. There are freeze-dried meal worms in the mix. It’s the top quality grain available, and I should be charging $12 a dozen to make all the dollar expense back. However, the birds spread the high nutrient dense excrement across the fields, which would take machinery, additional cost in fertilizer, and time to equate that additional “work” done passively in my free range flock. They provide feathers- a rich calcium source for the land too. So much additional abundance, I only charge $10 a dozen now, finally raised up from $7.
In winter, the laying rate drops to 1-2 eggs a day. It’s typical in commercial operations, to keep lights and heat on the birds to keep them laying full time. This is a ton of added stress on the birds, and they live much shorter lives. Keep in mind all commercial eggs, no matter how organic and good, are forcing production out of their flocks for our modern consumer demands. It’s industrial farming, like any other livestock operation. At EEC, there is not added light and heat, so the ladies get the dark time of year off to rest and recoup. The cold months demand a lot of extra energy keeping warm, so the hens get that energy instead of having it taken by egg laying. It’s a better quality of life for the birds, and the live longer and lay longer. If commercial flocks were allowed this time off, we would all pay a lot more for eggs in winter, or even go without. Perhaps more folks would have backyard birds, but no, the avian flue is haunting agriculture. It’s why egg prices are so high.
In past blogs, I’ve talked about the potential for a sudden cull, and it’s ever present in the back of my mind. I’m planning to purchase some new layers next spring, but now hesitate, because of the risk of flue. I’d not thought this would be a major issue in my lifetime, but it was out of ignorance. As agriculture continues to industrialize, more and more concentrations of animal bodies and excrement, means higher chance of virus mutation and infectious spread. The same goes for people in densely populated cities, Though we like to think our own sewage treatment plants are enough, these concentrated infrastructures, usually along rivers and ocean shores, regularly discharge overflow into our wild waters, in much the same way lagoons outside commercial hog pens breech during floods. Chicken poop ended up in cow feed, which was news to me, but part of how bird flue jumped into dairy cows. It’s industrial choices like this which get us into trouble with the greater biology nature compels to stay in balance.
There is hope that new flocks of young pullets will soon be replacing the millions of birds culled, but the flue is still rampant, meaning more flocks will be culled, and I don’t see the industry rebounding any time soon. EEC cannot meet the demand of current clients, and cannot grow the flock here beyond about 30 for the health of the flock, land, and me- I work with them, clean up the coop, have the risk for contracting the avian strain if it does get into my flock, but I’ll still only charge $10. It’s still steep, but more in line with what we should pay for eggs from well kept flocks. That’s still just breaking even, not making profit to reinvest. Luckily, EEC is not branching out into industrial egg operations, so we don’t need to take out a lone to keep up. The meat chicken industry, which is really on another level from the egg producers, is a dark world of bad businesses and farmer abuse, not to mention the animal cruelty. Battery hen operations are just as abusive, but there are different business practices with the farmers. The industry has not made any promises about production returning to a rate in which the prices can be lowered. In the current profit nihilism of investor greed, we’ll probably never see egg prices lowering- why would they?
This collapse in the industrial food system should be a warning for society that there is great change coming. Food will become more and more expensive. It has been a scarce resource for many in this country already, especially lower income households, but the implosion is falling outward now, into suburban markets where shelves are sometimes empty now. With certain government shifts also coming on fast, we will see more agricultural fails, especially with the health system crippled, and our research on the dangerous viruses like avian flue put on hold. Four years may not seem like a long time, but in just a few weeks, the unraveling of governance will trickle down into our food systems. California farmers are concerned after a couple of reservoirs released water under Slander and Chief ordered action to extinguish the L.A. fires. Incompetent, in that non of that water flowed to L.A. and the farmers are now worried they won’t have enough irrigation water for the summer drought season, thus lowering food production.
What can we do to lower egg prices? How about asking what an egg is worth and why? It might come down to having chickens or not having chickens, or it might turn into no eggs, because the flue will take out all the birds, then cattle, which we have not been culling- because cows are holy- no, it’s because the cows are a heck of a lot more expensive, and it would destroy a dairy farm if you culled all the cows. Many chicken farmers are being put out of business or closing shop anyway because they can’t take the financial risk any more. Dairy farmers are taking a hit if their cows don’t recover from the flue, or get reinfected, but mass culling is not happening-yet. Don’t panic! The CDC guidelines regarding avian flue are still accessible. I encourage everyone to keep an eye on this site, and follow the agricultural information to know what’s in store for our groceries to come. Or just wait to see which shelves empty next.
If you can get a few backyard birds and not cuddle them, maybe invest in the spring. Applesauce is a great egg replacement in baking, I learned that when I lived with vegans in Vermont many years ago. There are lots of alternatives, but for many, the classic egg plays a deep roll in American dining. I understand why it’s such a blow to be paying a real price for them now. It is no laughing matter for people who truly rely on eggs as a cheap form of protein- that’s what Mom raised us on. I’m not sure what alternative she might have used, I’ll have to ask her. We certainly would not have raised our own birds, most people can’t do that, for a number of reasons. Practically, investing in local farmer’s markets, connecting with your nearest farming community by attending tilth meetings or investing in coops can strengthen local production and economy. Avoiding the bulk box stores when you can is the first major step towards reconnecting with local produce, another action would be to eat in season with what’s actually available. There are many ways to strengthen food webs and your place in them. What regular eats in your home can you shift to a more local source? You don’t have to change everything overnight, but having a stronger knowledge and connection to the basic needs makes for a more resilient self and community.
EEC Forest Stewardship 