Who are we?
The Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand is the national body that represents the interests of all commercial egg producers in this country, including free range, barn and caged egg farmers.
What do we do?
The EPF supports the New Zealand commercial egg industry and the diverse interests of our membership. This includes building understanding of the egg production industry and awareness of eggs as one of New Zealand’s favourite staple protein foods. Other core roles of the EPF include research and development, funding support for the generic promotion of eggs, technical training, and compliance support to ensure industry members meet animal welfare, food safety and biosecurity regulations.
How are eggs produced?
New Zealand has a long and proud history of egg farming. Today there are three main farming types in operation: free range, barn and layer or caged production. All are detailed further, including images and videos, in the Farming types section.
How are eggs promoted?
The EPF funds Eggs Incorporated, the organisation that is responsible for the ongoing promotion of eggs. Visit the Eggs Inc website for more information on the nutritional benefits of eggs, cooking and storage tips, egg structure and makeup, and recipes ideas.
Kiwis love eggs! In 2010, New Zealand produced 1 billion eggs and the average New Zealander ate 230 eggs during the year!
To view the latest egg industry statistics, please click here.
Latest Updates:
14 November, 2011. Media statement from Michael Guthrie, Chairman of the Egg Producers Federation, regarding the Sunday and 60 Minutes television programmes aired on 13 November.
Video of Enriched Colony Cage System. This three-minute video shows an Enriched Colony Cage System in the South Island. It is part of a milliondollar trial undertaken by the Egg Producers’ Federation of New Zealand and the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund over the last three years to evaluate the commercial viability of the Enriched Colony Cage system in a New Zealand commercial setting.
The New Zealand draft Code of Welfare for Layer Hens proposes that the current cage system of production be replaced by the Enriched Colony Cage system. This system will become law in European Union countries from 2012 and is also supported for introduction in the USA by the American Humane Society.
The Enriched Colony Cage system allows birds to nest, perch and scratch – three of the most important natural behaviours for layer hens.
4 October, 2011. Statement from Michael Guthrie, Chair of the Egg Producers’ Federation of New Zealand, regarding the Enriched Colony Cage System for layer hens.
29 August: The latest information regarding Verification of Egg producer RMPs for 2011-12 is now available in the members' section. There are three PDFs: a checksheet; information for egg producers and verification complaints and appeals.
27 July 2011 - Click to read our response to media request to see the Enriched Colony System by Campbell Live.
27 June 2011 - An independent research project was carried out by Qzone in 2010, to understand the impact method of housing hens has on people's purchase decisions. You can read about the research findings here.
27 June 2011 - Recent research findings on Egg Consumption Trends and Attitudes in NZ.
22 June 2011 - Preliminary results on the first US flock housed in an enriched colongy cage system shown that eggs from enriched cages may cost up to 17% more than conventional. The enriched colony system they've used is approved by the American Humane Association. In New Zealand, economic analyses done by MAF and LECG estimated the price of eggs would increase by between 10% and 14% due to the transition.
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