Business Plan

Business Plan 2024-2028

Pullet Growers of Canada (PGC) has undertaken a comprehensive reflection on the need for a national organization to represent pullet growers. To identify a strategic direction, PGC engaged in activities involving material input and participation from all provinces.

The project’s dual objectives were to support PGC in identifying a strategic direction based on its ability to achieve previous strategic plan objectives, and to improve and expand the representation of pullet growers, pullets, and the public interest at the national level.

The project began with a kick-off meeting in July 2023 in PEI, involving PGC board members and project teams from Groupe AGÉCO and Serecon. This meeting established collaboration opportunities and key contacts for consultations. From August to September 2023, interviews with provincial egg boards that were PGC members highlighted gaps in pullet representation and regulation across Canada. These consultations set the stage for further interviews with non-member provinces from October to December 2023, revealing general satisfaction with the Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) regarding pullet issues, despite EFC’s limited mandate over pullets. There was a preference for a pullet committee under EFC rather than a separate organization.

A regulatory scan conducted in December 2023 showed minimal updates since 2014, but still informing the project by highlighting regulatory gaps in pullet management. Based on these findings, the project team recommended in January 2024 that PGC dissolve in favour of proposing a pullet committee under EFC. A strategy was developed to survey pullet growers and form a working group to explore this option. From February to May 2024, a survey assessed grower reactions to the proposed committee and satisfaction with EFC’s handling of pullet issues. Results indicated a preference for EFC representation and highlighted a need for better pullet grower representation.

In a joint working group proposal from March to May 2024, a presentation to EFC and provincial boards proposed forming a pullet committee. Three provinces supported the joint working group, six denied it, and one decision was pending. The final report in May 2024 summarized project activities and provided a final recommendation for PGC, supporting the formation of a pullet committee under EFC. Throughout the project,
the team provided strategic advice based on evolving circumstances and stakeholder feedback.

The project concluded that there is a clear desire for improved pullet representation across Canada, but this representation is preferred to come from EFC rather than a separate organization like PGC.