Lessons from Canadian hen housing’s major overhaul

“Change is the only constant in life,” said Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher.

 

For millennia, this adage has held true in agriculture. Farmers regularly adjust to weather, trends, technology, trade agreements, global production and consumers’ evolving preferences.

 

But sometimes, a change comes into play that makes us rethink everything – and this is what egg farmers across Canada are managing right now.

 

Early in 2016, Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) announced that, on behalf of more than 1,000 Canadian egg farms, they would begin a co-ordinated, market-oriented transition away from the conventional egg production housing systems. EFC opted to instead use enriched, free run and aviary systems to house laying hens.

 

The move was based on the demands of customers (grocers, restaurant chains and consumers). Eggs produced in higher-welfare housing systems allow hens greater freedom of movement and enrichments like nesting areas, perches and foraging opportunities. The transition will occur gradually over 20 years, reaching completion in 2036.

 

Egg farmers have already started building new barns and retrofitting old ones. They’ve had to adjust and embrace the change to succeed.  And whether they are using the term or simply living it – this is “change management.”

 

One of the world’s foremost authorities on change management is Dr. John P. Kotter, Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at the Harvard Business School. The advice in his book Leading Change, including this eight-step change process, is accepted across industries and helps achieve successful transformations for businesses.

Executing these steps well, in the context of a farming operation facing major change, could mean the difference between mediocre performance (or failure) and a stellar performance. Whether it’s a matter of moving from one housing or milking system to another, or adding new land, crops or species, following these eight steps can elevate the outcome. So how is it done, and how have egg farmers been doing this?

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.