3183 viewsFree range producer Nigel Smith says he hopes to see better returns for his eggs by joining a new egg farming group established by the Co-op.
Producer prices have been falling this year as supplies have started to outstrip demand, but Nigel, who has a 10,000-bird free range unit on a small farm in North Yorkshire, says membership of the new Co-op group will, hopefully, improve the bottom line for him and his wife, Sue. Producers in the group will receive premium payments for achieving targets set by the Co-op.
The new egg group is the sixth farming group established by the Co-op. It has been created together with its main supplier, Noble Foods. It will cover a total of 17 flocks across northern England and Scotland and a quarter of a million hens. The Co-op says it will further strengthen relationships with farmers, provide shoppers with a more transparent supply chain and maintain and develop strict animal welfare standards.
