SEPRA is a Scottish association of farmer and family owned egg farms producing cage, barn, free range and organic eggs.
UK farmers do not use meat and bone meal which was banned by the UK Government as a likely source of BSE but it continues to be used by farmers on the continent. In fact by all our EU neighbours.
This means, for example, that the imported bacon that you eat has more than likely been fed on a ration containing this banned meat and bone meal.
Egg farmers have received NO subsidies for over 20 years.
At this moment cage hens perform the best and lay well over 300 eggs per year. Some flocks of Barn and Free Range hens are now producing nearly as many.
In a recent survey of Scottish egg farmers, no antibiotics had been fed for as long as they could remember. There is just no necessity for the feeding of antibiotics and it is pure myth that they are used regularly and fed to hens.
Scotland only produces about 60% of their daily egg requirements. The other 40% are imported, mainly from Northern Ireland and England. The balance comes in from EU producers, such as Holland, France, Belgium and Spain.
If cages are banned in the EU this will not mean the end of cage eggs being on sale within the UK. Imports of eggs from countries not in the EU which do not have a similar ban on the use of cages will continue to be imported.
An even greater concern, is the potential for the imports of dried egg (which would go into such things as cakes) from third world countries which do not comply with the present standards which we have in Europe.
Other egg producing countries do not have similar welfare standards as enjoyed by hens within the UK.
Banning cages removes one of the choices which consumers at present enjoy.
The media are blamed mostly, whilst food retailers are enjoying the 20% demand for eggs from alternative systems because of the extra profit margin on these eggs.
What’s in an egg?
Eggs contain Protein, Fats & Carbohydrates, also Vitamins & Minerals which are all good for us as the following shows:
PROTEIN - This helps us to grow
FATS & CARBOHYDRATES - To give us energy.
VITAMINS & MINERALS - For growth, health and fitness.
PROTEIN: One egg provides 12% of the amount of protein needed every day for a man and 15% of the amount needed by a woman.
Children need protein for growth.
Adults need protein to help us stay healthy.
VITAMINS and MINERALS: Eggs contain eighteen vitamins and minerals, including Iron – to keep our blood healthy. Calcium – for strong bones and teeth.
Vitamins A, B, group and D for healthy skin, eyes, hair and bones
An EGG is one of the most complete naturally produced foods; eggs provide many of the essential nutrients for a balanced diet.
Eggs can be:
- BOILED
- BAKED
- FRIED
- POACHED
- SCRAMBLED
They can be used to bind ingredients together, to make turkey rissoles, hamburgers and to coat fish.
Use them to thicken soups, puddings or sauces.
Set foods like egg custard.
Eggs from SEPRA Members are produced to the world’s highest standards of food hygiene and safety.
New EU regulations on the marketing of eggs has been introduced since 1990 and in the UK there is additional legislation on quality testing and inspection, which applies not just to laying flocks bur also to grading and packing centres and to feeding stuffs, mills and feed stores.
To contact SEPRA:
Phone: +44 (0)1324
715337
Fax: +44 (0)1324 874773
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