Status: COMPLETED August 2011 - December 2011
Macdonald Campus farm has been producing eggs for over a hundred years, and thanks recent to improvements in the Poultry Unit and the supply chain - such as this egg grader machine - the eggs produced are now destined for McGill Downtown Campus Food Services as part of the “McGill Feeding McGill” initiative. The difference now is that eggs can be graded onsite at Macdonald Farm, allowing them to be sold from there, whereas before the eggs needed to be sold to a commercial wholesaler to be graded for distribution. A shorter supply chain allows for fresher eggs, with noticably improved flavour, and a reduced carbon footprint as they travel a mere 40km to the Downtown Campus.
This egg grading machine, purchased in part with resources from the Sustainability Projects Fund, is a valuable addition to Farm Management Technology, Food Science and Animal Science programs at Macdonald Campus. Egg grading itself is a highly regulated and complicated process which conforms to standards set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and being a part of this process first-hand is an invaluable learning experience to students at Macdonald Farm.
For further information conerning this project, or to get in touch with its members, please contact the krista.houser [at] mcgill.ca (SPF Administration Team).
