Egg Farmers of Canada chef ambassador, Matt Basile, and first generation Canadian egg farmer, Cammy Lockwood, recently came together for an engaging discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on the culinary community, as well as ways chefs and farmers can work together to build a more resilient food system for the future. Keep reading for three key takeaways from their discussion.
1. Supporting local has become a priority for farmers, chefs and consumers
While discussing the challenges they both faced during the past two years of the pandemic, Chef Matt and Cammy agreed that having a strong network of farmers, food processors and chefs made all the difference. With that and the system of supply management, Canadian egg farmers from coast to coast were able to pivot as needed and continue providing fresh, local, high-quality food for Canadians to enjoy.
From a business perspective, both Chef Matt and Cammy recall shifting their approach to focus on providing local and sustainable foods, like eggs, to members of their community. Cammy, for instance, began selling cartons of graded eggs to local stores, rather than selling wholesale products to restaurants, and decided to plant and grow as much produce as possible to adapt to the changing supply chain and provide food for her community.
“Farmers must be open to learning and growing from these challenges to move forward, but it’s certainly a balance of what is right in terms of business practices, sustainability and the wider community's needs,” said Cammy.
Similarly, Chef Matt began highlighting dishes that used locally-sourced ingredients on his menus. His food truck and catering company, Fidel Gastros, offered tasty brunch items to showcase local products as hero ingredients.
“Canadians have shown a renewed interest in dishes with local ingredients, so it’s important as a chef to adapt to those evolving consumer needs,” echoed Matt.
2. Farmers and chefs can benefit from leaning on each other to create better products and menus
Chef Matt and Cammy agreed that an open conversation between chefs and farmers is essential to ensure they’re addressing each other’s demands effectively. When chefs better understand the farming process from start to finish, they can tailor their menus to use the ingredients when they’re at their best. And, when farmers know what their eggs are being used for, they can make adjustments to the feed to change flavours, texture and so on. In short, having that open line of communication leads to an improved final product for the consumer.
Having visited several Canadian farms himself, Matt encouraged other chefs to get in touch with their local farmers for a farm tour to see how the ingredients they use are produced, as well as to identify opportunities to collaborate and help ensure seasonal dishes are on menus across the country.
3. Innovation is an important cornerstone for a more sustainable future
Throughout the past few years, Cammy has made adjustments to the processes she has in place on her farm, which produces fresh food for over 10,000 people a year in her community on Vancouver Island. Alongside her husband, James, Cammy has worked to make her business even more sustainable by installing solar panels, working with local suppliers, harvesting in-season produce year-round, and introducing a new high-quality, protein-rich feed program for her hens, which includes flax seed, lentils, peas and dried soldier fly larvae.
“The most environmentally-friendly thing you can do is grow your own food, and utilize local resources,” said Cammy. While her feed program is unique, it provides a protein-rich food source that doesn’t require water or imported soy, allowing her to take a more holistic approach to her on-farm sustainable practices.
Chef Matt agreed that consciously choosing local foods, like eggs, which are one of the most environmentally sustainable animal-source proteins available, and working together to learn, educate, and inspire, members of the Canadian culinary community can help create a more sustainable food system for generations to come.
Canadian egg farmers love to meet with chefs about the thing they mutually love—fresh, local and high-quality food! If you’re a chef or a member of the Canadian culinary industry, or if you’re simply interested in finding out more about egg farming in Canada, please visit us at eggfarmers.ca or join us for a virtual egg farm tour.