Huge turnout for Severn Valley Discussion Group
Seventy poultry farmers and tradespeople braved the snow for the Severn Valley Discussion Group’s first meeting of the year, which featured guest speaker Elwyn Griffiths. Gareth Griffiths was also in attendance. The brothers, of JA&O Griffiths & Sons and Oaklands Farm Ltd, led a lively and thought-provoking discussion on issues currently facing egg production, packaging, retailing and distribution in the UK.
Elwyn’s illuminating, lively and amusing talk navigated the audience through the brothers strong heritage in the poultry industry – two generations from its genesis with their parents Aled and Olwen who started the Shropshire-based business in 1959 with a 5,000-bird laying unit and it has grown over fifty years to a capacity of 1.7 million laying hens. Elwyn demonstrated the family’s level of passion, commitment and extensive investment in the egg laying sector throughout the years to its current capacity. Key to the Griffiths’ success has been their commitment and loyalty to the UK farming industry and long-term relationship with UK farmers. Oaklands currently has 32 partners supplying free range, fresh and organic eggs as well as participating in joint venture farms and its partner network is expanding regularly.
The Griffiths are recognised as leaders in terms of bird welfare and product reliability and are pioneers in implementing new technology. Given impending EU deadlines on egg stamping and cage systems, the Griffiths’ experience with new technology underpinned the evening’s discussion.
EU egg stamping legislation does not come into force until the end of 2010. However, the Griffiths brothers implemented egg stamping two years ago, and Elwyn won the Breakthrough of the Year Award for ensuring that 100% of eggs on the farm are totally traceable. All producers stamp their eggs on farm with bespoke stamping machines and inks supplied at Oaklands’ expense, which ensures a higher level of traceability and product security before the eggs arrive at the Oaklands site. Oaklands has also been able to use its cutting edge position with regard to egg stamping to capitalize on opportunities in other parts of Europe. Because some European countries already require on-farm stamping, Oaklands has started exporting eggs to places where there are shortfalls. As a result, they have been able to sustain producer payments despite the current economic climate.
Oaklands is also ahead of the curve with regard to colony systems for production – the Griffiths brothers have invested heavily in it already and will bring their system online before the 2012 EU deadline. Elwyn and Gareth believe that colony systems represent the way forward for UK production – they will ensure a sustainable egg supply as efficiently and economically as possible while being welfare-friendly.
There were, however, concerns raised regarding increasing investment levels in the industry, particularly in the free range sector. With the rise of free range, many producers warned of impending oversupply, and cautioned that there would be inevitable ’cascading’ of free range eggs into the ’value’ egg range on supermarket shelves.
With an excellent meal, great company and a lively debate with good humour mixed in, both the speaker, Elwyn, his brother Gareth and the attendees had a valuable and enjoyable evening.
At the next Severn Valley Discussion Group meeting, speakers Alan Benyon of St. Davids vets and Tim Wallace of ??? Biologicals will discuss the benefits of ’tailor-made’ autogenous vaccines, a highly topical subject given recent concerns over the availability of regularly-used off-the-shelf products also aiding in targeting specific issues on an individual farms basis. It will be held at Pengethley Manor Hotel in Ross on Wye on Wednesday 28th April at 7pm. For more information on this and future meetings please contact William K Boyd, Treasurer, on 07974 562196.
