Courtesy of Alberta Hatching Egg Producers

Saskatchewan and Alberta are the newest members of the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers.

Bob Smook, General Manager for the Alberta Hatching Egg Producers says this is a good opportunity for Alberta. "It provides the recognition that we are working together as supply management partners," he explains. "So that will now create a national agency with 6 members."

Smook says along with supply management, it also provides local domestic food production. The organization will also provide a predictable market place within the national sector.  "By ourselves joining we have an opportunity to join and participate in the equal distribution of the national allocations, and this is for the production of broiler hatching eggs of which results into the kilograms of chicken produced," he explains.  This ultimately meaning there will be more production happening in Alberta as well.  

Another big part of it is the opportunity for Alberta to have more input and direct influences on different programs.  "In the past what we did was independently start these programs on our own, so having several different provincial programs which really aren't congruent to one another. So this gives us an opportunity to work together and get it right," he says. It also allows the programs to be viewed as national programs. Smook says the other aspect is Alberta will have more influence on trade matters.