Morrisons launched the first ever “planet-friendly” eggs primarily sourced from hens fed on insects. This supermarket aims to be mainly supplied by net-zero emission farms by 2030.
This new line of eggs came from hens that are fed on insects and food waste. They are the first product of the supermarket’s eight-year mission to net zero.
This means that the eggs are “carbon-neutral,” where hens are only fed with a soy-free diet. In addition, the hens feed on food scraps from Morrison’s bakery and its fruit and vegetable sections.
A UK company, Better Origin, supplements their diet with insects from their “mini farm” container, which is also found in the chicken farm.
Reducing Soya Use
Better Origin aims to produce “carbon-negative animal feed” while reducing soya usage and decarbonizing food production.
Soya, a major ingredient in livestock feed, takes up vast plantations associated with environmental damage. Global demand results in rainforest clearing and further pollution with its transport and shipping.
Morrisons assures its customers that their eggs’ quality will remain topnotch despite the change in the chickens’ diet. There will be no negative impact on its taste and shelf life as well.
The farm of these carbon-neutral eggs also has solar panels and large wind turbines. It even has a patch of trees in a fifth of its land.
Chicken Manure
Another main concern in chicken farming is the disposal of chicken manure and the increasing water pollution.
Chicken excrement is often used as a fertilizer spread throughout the farmland. However, it washes into rivers and streams.
Their manure is rich in phosphate, which could trigger toxic algal blooms. This has affected rivers like the Wye on the border of England and Wales, which is now in a “critical state,” according to Environment Agency experts.
The Promise of Net-Zero
Morrisons claims that the new line of eggs will be the first of its kind to be featured on the British Lion Egg green stamp. It shows their customers how their products have a lower environmental impact.
The head of agriculture at Morrisons, Sophie Throup, said, “This is our first carbon-neutral product. And there will be many more to come. It is all part of our drive to be directly supplied only by ‘zero-emission’ British farms by 2030.
There was another statement from the commercial director of the Centre for Industrial Sustainability at the University of Cambridge, Ian Bamford, who said:
“We were very pleased to have the opportunity to review and analyze the approach that Morrisons has taken to calculating the carbon impact of several of their egg producers.
“It was clear that the mitigation actions that had been put in place by the first farm to produce carbon-neutral eggs enabled them to meet that goal.”
These planet-friendly eggs will be available in Morrisons’ store in Little Clacton, Essex, and later in 50 Yorkshire stores.