Revolutionizing Sustainable Egg Farming in Canada 🌿
University of British Columbia Okanagan researchers have published a landmark study outlining innovative plans to advance sustainable egg farming across Canada. Led by experts from UBC Okanagan's Food Systems Priority Research for Integrated Sustainability Management (PRISM) Lab, the research introduces enhancements to the National Environmental Sustainability and Technology Tool (NESTT), a digital platform designed to empower egg farmers with data-driven insights. Published in the journal Sustainability on January 2026, this work bridges the gap between academic research and practical farm management, addressing pressing environmental challenges while supporting economic viability.
The Canadian egg industry, which produces over 800 million dozen eggs annually and generates billions in economic value, faces growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint amid climate goals and consumer demands. UBC Okanagan's contributions provide a roadmap for balancing productivity with sustainability, positioning the sector for net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050—a target set by Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC).
The Canadian Egg Industry: Scale, Challenges, and Sustainability Progress
Canada's egg production has seen steady growth, reaching record highs in recent years despite slowing population increases. In 2025, the market was valued at approximately USD 4.7 billion, with projections to exceed USD 7 billion by 2033. Farms, regulated under a supply management system, operate around 5,000 registered producers, emphasizing high welfare standards and food safety.
Environmentally, the industry has made remarkable strides. Since the 1960s, egg farmers have reduced GHG emissions by 68% per dozen eggs, land use by 81%, energy by 41%, and water by 69%. Manure management improvements and feed efficiency gains have been key drivers. However, challenges persist: livestock production contributes about 10% of Canada's agricultural GHGs, with feed (60-70% of impacts), manure, and energy as hotspots. Regulatory demands for performance tracking and green tech adoption require tools that fit real farm operations.
These advancements stem from collaborative efforts between EFC, provincial boards, and research institutions like UBC Okanagan, highlighting the need for farmer-centric innovations.
Spotlight on UBC Okanagan Researchers Driving Change
Dr. Vivek Arulnathan, lead author and PRISM Lab researcher, spearheaded the participatory design process for NESTT's evolution. Holding a PhD from UBC Okanagan's Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, his expertise in life cycle assessment (LCA)—a method evaluating full environmental impacts from cradle to gate—has been pivotal.
Dr. Eric Li, Professor in the Faculty of Management and Associate Dean of Professional Graduate Programs, brings insights into stakeholder engagement and decision support systems. His work ensures tools like NESTT align with farm economics and user needs.
Dr. Nathan Pelletier, Associate Professor of Biology and holder of the EFC Research Chair in Sustainability, directs the PRISM Lab. With decades of research on food systems, he has modeled egg production's low-carbon profile compared to other proteins, advocating for precision tools to achieve net-zero goals.
Together, this team exemplifies how higher education fuels agricultural innovation. For those inspired, UBC Okanagan offers programs in sustainable food systems, with opportunities at AcademicJobs.com/higher-ed-jobs.
Unpacking NESTT: The Core of Sustainable Egg Farming Plans
NESTT, launched by EFC in 2022, is an online LCA-based platform accessible via farm registration ID. It enables farmers to input data on flock performance, feed, water, energy, manure, and transportation, generating instant scorecards, benchmarks against national/provincial averages, and scenario testing for green technologies.
The latest UBC study refines NESTT through 'Lite' (resource efficiency focus) and 'Full' versions (comprehensive LCA), incorporating farmer input for usability. Farmers can track year-over-year progress, access funding info, and contribute anonymized data for sector-wide GHG inventories.
- Flock management: Productivity and mortality rates.
- Feed use: Conversion efficiency per kg eggs.
- Water and energy: Usage per hen or dozen.
- Manure: Handling to minimize methane/nitrate losses.
- Transportation: On-farm logistics emissions.
Available at eggsustainability.ca, it's free for all Canadian egg farmers.
Participatory Design: Co-Creating Tools with Egg Farmers
The UBC study employed a four-phase process: exploration (farm visits/workshops), pre-launch surveys (42 responses, 77% rate), prototyping (mock-up interviews), and post-launch feedback (7 farmers). This ensured NESTT reflects operational realities, like multi-unit farms and data availability.
Surveys revealed 90% view sustainability as important, prioritizing benchmarking (71%) and ease-of-use (75%+). Feedback led to flock-level views, default data options, and economic linkages. "By involving farmers, we built trust and ownership," notes Dr. Arulnathan.
This model overcomes common tool failures, fostering adoption—nearly 20% of farmers used NESTT by 2025.
Targeting Key Areas: Feed Efficiency, Manure, and GHG Reductions
NESTT spotlights high-impact areas. Feed, responsible for 60-70% of emissions, benefits from precision diets reducing waste—historical gains cut protein needs 50%.
Manure management minimizes methane via covered storage or biogas, aligning with EFC's net-zero path. Energy audits promote solar/heat recovery, cutting use 41% industry-wide.
Potential: Farms using NESTT can model 10-20% GHG cuts via tech like low-emission feeds. For details, see the full study at MDPI Sustainability.
| Indicator | Industry Improvement (1960s-2020s) |
|---|---|
| GHG Emissions | 68% reduction per dozen |
| Land Use | 81% less |
| Water Use | 69% less |
Economic Benefits: Profitable Paths to Sustainability
Beyond environment, NESTT links green choices to bottom lines—efficient feed saves costs, manure cycling boosts fertilizer value. Farmers report time savings via defaults and certificates for regulators/funders.
Incentives like 'NESTT eggs' labeling could premiumize products. Dr. Pelletier emphasizes: "Tools must reflect economic constraints for real adoption." Explore ag careers at AcademicJobs.com/research-jobs.
Farmer Perspectives and Growing Adoption
Feedback praises intuitiveness but calls for auto-data integration and profitability metrics. Barriers: data entry time, awareness—addressed via EFC promotion.
With 1-in-5 adoption, NESTT scales impact. Case: Larger farms benchmark multi-systems, small ones track basics. EFC's 2024 report notes tool's role in annual assessments.
Broad Implications for Canadian Agriculture
NESTT's model extends to poultry, dairy, crops—co-design ensures scalability. Amid Agri-Food Canada's 2025-26 climate focus, it aids reporting under growing regs.
Stakeholders: EFC prioritizes env research; UBCO trains next-gen via PRISM Lab. Link to AcademicJobs.com/ca for Canadian higher ed opportunities.
Looking Ahead: Net-Zero and Beyond
EFC targets net-zero by 2050; NESTT 2.0 eyes MCDA for customized advice, pullet/feed modules. UBC plans expansions, funding via NSERC.
Actionable: Farmers, sign up at EFC site; students, pursue sustainability degrees. AcademicJobs.com connects to higher-ed-career-advice.
Photo by Nunzio Guerrera on Unsplash
Opportunities in Sustainable Agriculture Research
This work highlights demand for experts in food systems. UBC Okanagan seeks grad students; industry needs LCA specialists. Check university-jobs, higher-ed-jobs, rate-my-professor for insights, and post-a-job for openings.
