Help shape the future of the egg industry

Australians are being invited to take part in a large-scale research study to explore community views and inform a national conversation about the egg industry. “Engagement science” company Voconiq will conduct the research. CSIRO social scientists founded Voconiq in 2019. Research will explore community attitudes towards the egg industry across a range of topics, including biosecurity, traceability, animal welfare and the environment.

A chance to voice your concerns

Voconiq CEO Dr Kieren Moffat says this research will build on previous CSIRO findings. It will help the industry to better understand the community’s changing views.

“More than 27,000 Australians have contributed to the research over the last three years, providing a deeper understanding of what the community values in the egg industry,” Dr Moffat says. “We know hen welfare arouses strong feelings among many people, and that’s been a focus of the research to date. But we’ve also found the community is very interested in how Australia’s eggs are produced and how safe they are. Especially since the pandemic.

“We encourage Australians who want to have a voice on issues related to the egg industry to take the survey. Data collected will be provided to Australian Eggs for further action.”

Managing Director of Australian Eggs, Rowan McMonnies, says that the community’s insights are instrumental in helping shape industry plans.

“Australians consume 17 million eggs every day, so it’s important for the industry to understand and respond to community concerns to continue to maintain trust,” he says.

“Previous research has shown that concerns around the egg industry’s environmental footprint, food safety standards and hen welfare have become more prominent, so the industry has addressed this by developing new tools and research projects.”

New tech and carbon neutrality

Australian Eggs recently launched a Sustainability Dashboard to help farmers assess their farm and business practices. It’s also undertaking a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment to develop a framework to move the industry towards carbon neutrality.

“Further to this, a Biosecurity Virtual Reality Tool was also created to improve on-farm biosecurity practices,” McMonnies says. “And the industry is looking into new technologies. These can improve the traceability of eggs for maintaining food safety standards and expand the capacity of egg farms to monitor hen welfare.”

The research is the fourth annual cycle of community engagement to inform the Australian Eggs Sustainability Framework. To participate in the 2021 survey, go to voconiq.com/eggs. The survey closes on Sunday, June 27. When buying eggs, either at the shops or at a cafe or restaurant, remember to always choose wisely.