What is egg grading?
Canada’s egg graders bring eggs from farms to the grading station, where they are responsible for assessing the quality of each egg before packaging. To do this, egg graders wash, weigh and candle eggs – using light to detect interior defects and cracks in the shell – before assigning each egg with a grade and packing for distribution.
Egg grades, such as Canada A, B or C or Nest Run, are standardized by CFIA requirements and determine how an egg can be used. For example, Canada A eggs are considered “table eggs” and are categorized by weight and packaged for retail sale.
Egg graders produce table or shell eggs for the market, which represents about 70% of the total egg sector. Surplus egg production is directed to egg processors.
The Egg Farmers of Canada have produced a video summarizing the grading process:
Canada’s egg grading sector
Eggs are a lower-cost source of high-quality protein and are recommended as part of Canada’s Food Guide’s balanced plate. Canadians recognize this and are increasingly making eggs part of their daily diet.
Per capita consumption of eggs has increased by 30% over the past decade. In 2022, Canadians consumed 21.4 dozen eggs per capita – 15.2 of those as shell eggs.
Canada’s egg graders make important contributions to our country’s economy. Egg graders directly employ well over 2000 Canadians and continue to invest in improving efficiency of hteir grading stations.
CPEP works for Canada’s Egg Graders
CPEP’s egg grading sector is made up of 16 companies who operate 28 plants across the country. Our egg grading sector members are responsible for more than 97% of the eggs graded in Canada each year.
CPEP and our egg grader members work closely with Egg Farmers of Canada, egg boards across the country, and egg farmers to ensure the supply of fresh eggs meets the needs of Canadian consumers. Our work includes:
- Engaging with Egg Farmers of Canada, CFIA and Health Canada to address food safety measures and regulations of importance to egg graders
- Supporting efforts to continuously meet science-based animal welfare standards
- Advocating on behalf of egg graders in policy decisions concerning supply, pricing and market issues
- Addressing issues of importance to the broader poultry and egg sector, such as labour shortages, animal welfare, and food safety
Want to know more about the Canadian egg grading sector?
Check out our egg grading sector members or contact Egg Sector Director, Margo Ladouceur at margo@cpep-tvoc.ca.
Ackron Egg Farm Ltd.
Ackron Egg Farm Ltd.
Atlantic Poultry Incorporated
Atlantic Poultry Incorporated
Burnbrae Farms
Burnbrae Farms
Burns Poultry Farm
Burns Poultry Farm
Clovis Gauthier et Fils Inc.
Clovis Gauthier et Fils Inc.
Countryside Farms Ltd.
Countryside Farms Ltd.
Daybreak Farms Terrace Ltd.
Daybreak Farms Terrace Ltd.
Farmer Ben's Eggs
Farmer Ben's Eggs
Ferme Avicole Laviolette Ltée
Ferme Avicole Laviolette Ltée
Golden Valley Foods Ltd.
Golden Valley Foods Ltd.
Gray Ridge Eggs Inc.
Gray Ridge Eggs Inc.
Les Oeufs Ovale s.e.c.
Les Oeufs Ovale s.e.c.
Les Oeufs Richard Eggs Inc.
Les Oeufs Richard Eggs Inc.
Maritime Pride Eggs Inc.
Maritime Pride Eggs Inc.
Newfoundland Eggs Inc.
Newfoundland Eggs Inc.
Nutri-Oeuf Inc.
Nutri-Oeuf Inc.
Ontario Pride Eggs Inc.
Ontario Pride Eggs Inc.
Sparks Egg Farms
Sparks Egg Farms
Star Egg Co. Ltd.