The Nova Scotia egg marketing board is easing its
restrictions to allow farmers without quota to raise up to 2,000 free-range
hens without quota.
There will be a limit of 500 per producer and these
production rights will be reserved for new producers.
That has Aaron Hiltz wondering whether he will quality
because he has been challenging the board by keeping a free-range flock. The
board has charged him with violating the province’s regulations and he could
face a fine of up to $6,000.
The egg board also announced that it is doubling the number
of hens people can keep without quota – from 100 to 200.
Hiltz has been keeping 200 birds and says he netted about
$20,000 last year. He said he can’t afford to buy quota for the 200 because
that would cost about $200,000.
Now, of course, he won’t have to buy quota for his 200 birds
and he might qualify as a new entrant to add to that total.
Small Flock Poultry Farmers of Canada is hailing the change
in Nova Scotia regulations as a major lobbying victory.
In Ontario, it’s main objective is to persuade the chicken
board to increase the number of chickens that can be raised without quota from
300 to 2,000 per year.
