Eggs - The Lakes, UK
Management
It is a requirement of The Lakes that all producers must register with The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC). The scheme is independently audited and provides assurance that the eggs are produced to the highest standards of food safety.
The farms must also be inspected by Freedom Foods which is a scheme set up by the RSPCA in 1994.
At least once a year, producer farms are provided with benchmark data (including eggs laid, mortality rates, egg size, hens housed, average lay and profitability) demonstrating performance within the group and suggestions for improvements.
David insists that the suppliers’ farms are registered under the DEFRA-funded Entry Level Scheme (ELS). This programme encourages farmers to deliver simple yet effective environmental management.
In conjunction with this, David employs the services of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), the UK's only independent and dedicated provider of environmental and conservation advice and consultancy to farmers. David pays FWAG to create biodiversity plans for all his suppliers.
Participation in assurance and management schemes ensure that the farm produces eggs to a high standard while also addressing local environmental concerns.