A Lethbridge area farmer was arrested Wednesday morning in a dispute over egg sales, with his daughter alleging the Egg Farmers of Alberta (EFA) is targeting small producers to protect its quota system.
Lyndsay Van Essen announced her father Henk Van Essen's arrest in a Facebook post, claiming the EFA opposes his ability to sell inspected eggs without participating in their costly quota system.
"This morning, my dad Henk Van Essen was arrested because of chickens and because of eggs," Lyndsay wrote. "More specifically, he was arrested because the Egg Farmers of Alberta don’t like that he can sell inspected eggs to people without paying millions into their quota system."
"As far as we know, he is being held in Lethbridge," Lyndsay told the Western Standard in a text. "It is my understanding from our neighbour that five RCMP vehicles arrived to arrest him."
The EFA oversees a quota system, part of Canada’s supply management framework, requiring farmers with more than 300 laying hens to register and hold a quota to sell eggs commercially.
This quota, allocated nationally by Egg Farmers of Canada, determines the number of hens a farmer can raise, aiming to balance supply and demand for market stability.
Farmers with 300 or fewer hens are exempt from quota requirements and can sell ungraded eggs directly to consumers for personal use.
It is unknown how many hens were on Henk's farm.
Lyndsay described the organization’s control as a "monopoly" that demands a commission on every dozen eggs sold.
"The monopoly they hold over the production of eggs is absurd, so much so that they take a small farmer to jail and court to squeeze every penny out of him they can," she wrote.
Henk, 61, earns a modest income from his egg sales, according to his daughter. She urged consumers to support local egg farmers and expressed solidarity with other small producers facing similar pressures.
"If you are a smaller farmer who is also being targeted by Egg Farmers of Alberta, please know that he is fighting really hard for you today," she added.
Lyndsay’s call to action highlights ongoing tensions between small-scale farmers and Canada’s supply management system, which critics argue favours large producers and limits market access for smaller operations.
"Please consider buying from small local egg farmers who aren’t regulated by the Egg Farmers of Alberta, especially today," she wrote.
The Western Standard contacted Egg Farmers of Alberta for comment without success. Local RCMP said they can't confirm if Henk Van Essen is in custody.
