Chris Monnier
Nuffield Australia 2017 Scholar
Chris Monnier, from Mornington in Victoria, receives a 2017 Nuffield Scholarship supported by the Australian Egg Corporation Limited.
He investigated egg production systems, in particular, balancing consumer demand, population and consumption growth across cage, barn and free range systems.
Chris is the General Manager of Make Eggs, which owns three farms with 500,000 layer hens that produce eggs utilizing the cage, barn and free range systems. The company has big growth plans over the next few years.
Chris was born in Melbourne and is married to Michelle, with three children Briana (aged 10), Lachlan (aged nine) and Emily (aged two).
Chris says his research was particularly pertinent to the inaccurate perception in Australia that better production is only gained at the expense of animal welfare. He plans to help educate consumers on this highly emotive topic.
“The Australian egg industry is being forced to move away from more intensive farming systems, largely due to the misleading marketing of some fringe groups. Eggs are one of the cheapest forms of protein available and intensive farming systems currently produce about 60 per cent of all Australian eggs,” Chris says.
“Moving away from this system will both dramatically increase the cost of eggs to consumers and, jeopardise the industry’s ability to consistently produce throughout the year.
Chris has worked very closely with the Australian Egg Corporation and Victoria Farmer’s Federation on this contentious issue. He recently produced a television program in conjunction with these bodies called “The Truth About Eggs”, with to the aim of educating consumers.
Chris traveled to America, Japan, Holland and Canada.