HISTORY
The British Egg Marketing Board
was set up in 1957 to buy all eggs produced
in the UK, grade them to a national standard,
stamp a "Little Lion" on the egg as
a mark of quality, and market those eggs through
registered packhouses. A pool price was paid
to producers for all first quality eggs, and
second quality and sample eggs were broken out
for industrial use. The Board deducted a levy
from producers, based on the number of eggs
sent to packhouses, for its administration and
to support Research, Education, PR and Advertising
(such as "Go to Work on an Egg").
It was disbanded in 1969 as it became unpopular
with larger producers who wanted a free market.
The British Egg Marketing Board
Research and Education Trust was then
created with a capital sum of approximately
£550,000 which had been set aside to fund
the continuation of the beneficial work that
had been carried out in research and education
by the former Board.
The BEMB Trust also inherited
the land and buildings which constituted the
Poultry Husbandry Experimental Unit at
Harper Adams Agricultural College. For the
next 20 years the Trust directed approximately
one third of its income to the Unit. In 1991
the Unit was donated in its entirety to Harper
Adams University College.
When the Trust was set up in 1971
the capital sum of £550,000 (sic) produced
an annual income of about £40,000 which
contrasts with the present situation where the
portfolio has been built up to over £1,200,000
giving a net return of around £86,000
each year. (Interest rates were much higher
in the early 70s). It should be stated that
the only form of income the Trust has is from
its investments, all deriving from the initial
capital sum plus a further £165,775 received
in September 2000 as a result of the demise
of the former Eggs Authority. During this 25-year
period a total of well over £1,500,000
has been given to the industry for research
and education.
With regard to research, funds
have been given to many Institutions and Colleges
to finance egg related products and today the
Trust is virtually the only organisation supporting
work of this nature in the various centres of
learning. Two of the latest projects are supporting
research into Poultry Worker
Health and financing half the cost of a
Lectureship in Epidemiology.
As far as education is concerned,
it has been the constant policy of the Trust
to sponsor PhD students
in egg related subjects. Currently there are
7 such students in various centres. Many of
these students, after receiving their PhD, continue
in a career of poultry research and ultimately
become the eminent scientists of the future.
A Nuffield
Farming Scholarship has been financed each
year for the study of a subject connected with
egg production or marketing. This pays for a
minimum of 8 weeks abroad studying the chosen
aspect and then, in return, the Scholar produces
a report on his/her findings which is then published.
The Trust consists of 3 nominated
Trustees and 3 co-opted Trustees (one of whom
should be an eminent poultry scientist) and
a Secretary/Administrator. All Trustees serve
a 3-year term but are eligible for re-election
if they wish.
