Australian egg industry adopts new traceability tools

“Traceability is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’,” according to the managing director of Australian Eggs, Rowan McMonnies, adding, “Governments are prioritising it, consumers are expecting it, and those businesses that focus on it are the ones that gain the most.”

Traceability improves food safety outcomes as it enables farmers to quickly identify the sources of egg quality, safety, or hen health issues. It also helps farmers to take the necessary steps to rectify the issue, which results in a safer and more reliable egg supply chain.

EggTrace is a free digital tool developed to ensure that all egg farmers have access to the tools and technology required to trace eggs from lay to dispatch. In addition, a traceability manual has also been developed and made available to all egg farmers in the country, which outlines best practices for tracking eggs and provides advice and guidance to support the design of reliable traceability systems for egg farms of any size.

Kate Daley, CEO of Pure Foods Eggs, which distributes 4 million eggs annually, says that an investment in traceability is an investment in the health, safety and loyalty of customers.

“All egg farmers must maintain a state of readiness to trace and recall our products if needed to minimise potential harm to consumers,” said Daley, adding that such systems lead to consistency and quality of products.

Access to EggTrace and the Australian Eggs Traceability Manual is available to all egg farmers for free via the Australian Eggs Traceability Hub.