Egg-grading facility closing
Eggs will be transported to Amherst, graded and transported back for Island markets
SUMMERSIDE – Island egg producers and consumers shouldn't see any impact following the closure of the egg-grading facility in Summerside, says a representative of the Egg Farmers of P.E.I.
Michael Cummiskey, general manager of the Egg Farmers of P.E.I., said closure of the grading station was a little surprising.
"But at the same time, it is an older facility," he said.
Maritime Pride Eggs owns the facility with its head of operations is based in Amherst, N.S. Following the closure of the facility this week, Island eggs will be transported to the Amherst egg-processing facility, graded and then brought back to the Island to enter the local market.
Mark Beal, CEO of Maritime Pride Eggs, said every effort will be made to ensure the eggs return to the Island market.
He said the decision to close the Summerside facility was something the company has been looking at for a number of years.
"It's an older facility. Specifically, the grading machine is 25 to 30 years old. It's not as efficient as some of the new equipment, like (what) we have in our Amherst facility."
He said the work done in eight hours using the old machinery in Summerside could be done in about 90 minutes in the Nova Scotia facility.
"The cost to replace the equipment is about a $1.5-million capital expenditure plus, and there's also the cost of modifying the plant."
He said it was a very difficult decision.
At the peak, 11 people were employed there. The facility will close on June 5.
Currently, three people have been signed on for extended contracts until later in the year.
Beal said he understands the importance of bringing the eggs back to the local market.
"The farmers are our shareholders in the company. And as a farmer-owned company, we understand local means different things to different people. For example, I buy P.E.I. potatoes, but I live in Nova Scotia. To me that's a local product. And when the producers have flock rotations, P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, supplement the provinces."