Egg farmer hatches Ethics in Action award

“There’s going to be party in the hen house tonight,” exclaimed Stephen Easterbrook of Rabbit River Farms as he accepted the Ethics in Action Award back in 2001. Rabbit River – whose name originates from Stephen’s name Easter (Rabbit) and brook (River) – is an impressive example of combining socially responsible ethics in a sustainable business environment. Established in 1994, Rabbit River was the first certified organic free-range egg farm in Canada. Founder and owner Easterbrook is responsible for developing organic free-range husbandry techniques; he even co-wrote the organic poultry farming certification standards that are now used by all BC egg farmers.

The living conditions of the Rabbit River Farms chickens are extremely progressive by poultry farming standards and are in drastic contrast to conventional poultry farms where economy of scales and productivity are the ultimate priority. These operations typically house birds in layered cages not much larger than the bird’s body, where they are fed by an automated system and never see the light of day.

“There is a real need to strike a balance between animal welfare and our need for food,” says Easterbrook. “Provisional regulations must be reviewed to accommodate smaller-scale agriculture and humane treatment of all animals.” The ethical road is not always the easy road, and Easterbrook is no stranger to standing behind his beliefs and speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. He has made significant contributions to Canadian organic agriculture and to the humane treatment of animals at great personal expense and time. Despite the many challenges, Easterbrook has remained true to his convictions and to his ultimate goal: to provide a natural and humane existence for his flock. Sponsored and created in large part by Vancity, the Ethics in Action Awards celebrate British Columbians who are leaders in the growing movement of corporate socially responsibility. Their actions and beliefs have a positive impact on our communities through emphasizing accountability and a strong commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability.

Lush Cosmetics Visits Rabbit River Farms

In May of 2011, the staff of LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics took a tour of our farm. Lush is an international cosmetics company that has outlets in many international airports and malls. They specialize in products that are made with fresh, natural materials and they do not perform testing on animals. Lush has a local manufacturing division in South Vancouver just 6 kms away from Rabbit River Farms. They use Rabbit River’s free range eggs as an ingredient in several of their products. Below is their staff’s impression of the visit as per their company newsletter.
Located only 20 minutes away from our production facility, Rabbit River Farms supplies the fresh eggs we use in our Cosmetic Warrior, Sacred Truth and Brazened Honey face masks. Eggs are fantastic for the skin, as they balance the natural sebum production. We were lucky enough to get a personal tour from the owner himself, the delightful and innovative Steve Easterbrook.

We arrived to spot a sign outside the front door “Welcome LUSH!” Already charmed, we peeked inside the “barn” door to see the hundreds of eggs being packaged up to be sent out to local grocery stores across BC. Steve greeted us warmly and told us how excited everyone was to have us visit. Before taking us on a tour of the entire facility, which is the only egg production site in BC that both raises hens and packages the eggs, Steve told us a bit about how his farm came to be. Rabbit River Farms was started by Easterbrook in 1993. His great grandfather owned the first grain mill in Richmond, BC, and as a child, Steve had looked after free range chickens in the backyard. Steve left farming as a young man, venturing into other “boring industries”, as he put it. Eventually, he felt called back to his roots and decided to purchase a large plot of land. Unsure of what to do next, Steve visited a local organic farm and asked what the market was missing. Eggs! At the time, there were no producers of organic eggs in Canada. In fact, there weren’t even any standards in place for certifying eggs organic. Steve approached the certification board and they agreed to let him experiment, effectively writing the standards as he went along. Steve was also instrumental in developing the first ever organic animal feed.

We love that Steve is local, but we also buy from Rabbit River Farms because their values and ethics are in line with ours here at LUSH. Steve summed it up wonderfully for the both of us; It’s about taking ownership and passion in your product.

Today, Rabbit River Farms has over 5,200 birds and packages 216,000 eggs per week including eggs from affiliated egg farmers. All of the eggs produced are certified organic, free range (hens are free to walk around outdoors) or free run (hens are kept in an open-concept house with access to the outdoors). His hens are never kept in cages, given antibiotics or any sort of genetically modified feed. Rabbit River Farms is also certified by the BCSPCA (British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

Steve was kind enough to show us the entire process, from hen to carton. He took us to the main barn, which houses approximately 5200 hens. The first thing we noticed upon walking in was how much quieter it was then we expected. You’d think a few thousand chickens would make more noise! All we encountered was the low hum of wings flapping and beaks pecking in the food troughs. The hens were moving around the barn freely, preening, feeding, and most importantly – socializing. It’s vital for chickens to establish a pecking order, so being able to socialize normally makes for a harmonious laying environment. After a few photos with our new flock of friends, we followed the conveyer belt that ran from the laying nests to the washing station. Thousands of eggs run through hot water and steam, as per food safety standards, before being carefully inspected for cracks. The eggs are then sorted by weight, packaged and handled by the lovely staff. Steve showed us all the various sizes and colours eggs could come in, calling the little spheres “nature’s perfect package”. The entire process was very complex, yet so simple at the same time.

I was really impressed with the professionalism and pride everyone took. The chickens were treated almost like guests at a hotel, so many things revolved around maximizing their comfort and reducing stress. I liked how they all came running to get attention from the employees. The proactive approach to setting the standards high and attention to detail really sets a great example for the industry.
 – Brendan Delhomeau, LUSH Manufacturing

Steve’s extensive knowledge, experience and passion for farming have revolutionized the way eggs are produced in Canada today. His commitment to the welfare of his animals is abundantly clear. We hurled questions at him for hours and he answered every one with as much enthusiasm as the first. “I love animals” Steve stated simply. He pointed out that much of what humans need is dependent on contributions from animals, so it’s important to give them respect and humane treatment. He often refers to his philosophy as “freedom farming”, meaning farms should be an environment where animals are free to engage in their natural behaviors. He’s constantly challenging himself to “do it better for the birds”.

I loved the entrepreneurism and passion of Steve. Following a dream from a light bulb moment related to organic and earth friendly ethics. The more conscious businesses become, I hope it fosters more success stories like these.
– Mike Elliot, Lush Buying Team