At least one EFAO member has been able to obtain quota for small scale organic chicken production.

We are not including the name of this member because there is so much interest in this topic that they are getting more phone calls than they can handle, while still doing their farm work. However, EFAO has spoken to the member and the following information comes directly from them.

The farm family wanted to be able to sell a small number of chickens legally because they see the consumer demand for organic chicken. Another farmer they knew had lobbied Chicken Farmers of Ontario to let them buy a small quota instead of the 14,000-unit minimum normally required.

They followed that original producers footsteps and made a request for the same amount, 275 units, and found the CFO cooperative and helpful. They had to find someone willing to sell them the quota and found a feed company, which intended to sell only large amounts, but didn't mind selling the quota required.

The farm produces fryers in the summer and roasters in the fall but no meat chickens in the winter so the CFO collapsed the calender production weeks to accommodate their seasonal production. The chicken production even on the small scale has to meet all the requirements of large scale, food safety such as HACCP, filling out long forms when transferring chickens from the farm with details such as the names of the chicken catchers, licensed trucks and so on.

The EFAO member found the CFO field representative helpful and thinks the rules are fair. While most chicken producers sell to a processor, they are themselves the processor, at least in name, although the chickens are processed at a licensed government facility so they can sell not only at the farm gate but also wholesale such as to health food stores or other retailers.

Economically the investment is paying for itself. They only have to buy the quota once and own it. The premium they receive for organic meat chickens is helping pay off the quota investment.

The CFO will only consider providing the small-scale quota to farmers raising certified organic chickens, so those who want to be legal, but who are not certified cannot use this option.

Reproduced from the March-April 2005 EFAO News, Volume 26, Number 2.