AECL withdraws trademark application

The Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) has withdrawn withdraw its current application for a Certification Trade Mark (CTM) covering an enhanced Quality Assurance (QA) program for the Australian egg industry.

The QA program was developed over three years and included an exhaustive process involving extensive consultation with scientists, egg producers, regulators and the broader community. The program is aimed at ensuring minimum egg production standards are attained on-farm in hen health, food safety, farm quarantine & biosecurity, environmental stewardship, egg labelling and hen welfare for cage, barn-laid and free range egg production.

However, in response to concerns from some members of the community regarding three of the 171 minimum standards in the proposed QA program, some structural elements of the program and other observations, AECL has decided to withdraw the CTM Application. At this point in time, AECL intends to submit a new CTM application after taking stock, thoroughly reviewing the issues raised and making any necessary amendments to the minimum standards.

It should be noted that after such rigorous consultation and review by all interested parties, there was no major opposition from the ACCC to the standards for cage or barn-laid egg production in the new QA program.