Australians are being invited to take part in a large-scale research study to inform a national conversation about the egg industry.
The research will explore community attitudes towards the egg industry across a broad range of topics, including food security, biosecurity, traceability, animal welfare and environmental impacts.
Managing Director of Australian Eggs, Rowan McMonnies, says the community’s insights are instrumental as they help shape industry plans.
“Australians consume 17 million eggs every day,” he says, “so it’s important for the industry to understand and respond to community concerns to continue to maintain trust.”
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.
For example, a Sustainability Dashboard helps farmers assess their farm and business practices. Australian Eggs is also undertaking a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment to develop a framework to move the industry towards carbon neutrality.
The industry is also looking into new technologies to improve the traceability of eggs for maintaining food safety standards and to expand the capacity of egg farms to monitor hen welfare.
More than 27,000 Australians have contributed to the research program over the past three years.
Engagement science company Voconiq says this fourth year of research will build on the findings from 2018 to 2020.
“We encourage Australians who want to have a voice on issues related to the egg industry to take part in the public open survey, as the data collected will be shared with Australian Eggs to action a response,” Voconiq CEO Dr Kieren Moffat says.
To participate in the research, go to https://voconiq.com/eggs/
The survey closes on Sunday 27 June 2021.