Trace My Egg makes it easier to trace which farm your eggs have come from by using a 5-digit code that is ‘stamped’ right on to each egg. Egg stamps show the production method of the egg and the individual farm that they’ve come from using a unique farm code. Egg stamps can be tracked online here.
Participating farms are audited annually and have also agreed to further random audit checks through a third party verification system.
Egg Stamping ‘rules’
Participating farmers using the “Trace My Egg” stamping system have agreed to uphold strict terms and conditions, including:
- Integrity: Only eggs that are laid on participating farms will be stamped with the farm’s unique identification code.
- Transparency: Eggs will be accurately stamped with the production method – organic, free range, barn, cage or colony.
- Traceability: Each individual farm has its own unique code. Even if farmers own more than one farm, each farm still must have its own unique code.
Third-party verification
Each farm participating in the Trace My Egg programme must agree to two levels of independent, third-party verification (auditing) as follows:
- Annual checks
- Spot checks
Annual checks
Farmers must include egg stamping checks within their annual Risk Management Programme (RMP). All RMP’s in the egg industry in New Zealand is currently undertaken by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Spot checks
All participating farmers must agree to allow access to their farm for the nominated independent, third-party auditor to check their stamping practices as per the Terms and Conditions. Farms are selected for spot checks through the third party auditor. These are additional to the annual checks, and are designed to check that that the egg stamping rules are being upheld by participating farmers at all times.
The terms and conditions have been designed to uphold high standards for traceability and can be viewed here.