Alberta farmer’s stint in jail highlights controversy over supply management

Alberta farmer’s stint in jail highlights controversy over supply management

Henk Van Essen was arrested in April for allegedly producing too many eggs. Alberta farmers who don’t have quota can only have up to 300 laying hens.

On a sunny morning in April, police officers arrived at the house of Henk Van Essen, arrested the small-town Alberta chicken farmer and locked him behind bars for two nights.

He was accused of producing too many eggs.

In Alberta’s supply-management system, farmers like Mr. Van Essen who have not been granted quota can have only 300 laying hens. Egg Farmers of Alberta, the industry association, said it has reason to believe he was raising thousands.

Mr. Van Essen put his farm up for sale on May 1 after a four-year saga. While he denies any wrongdoing, he said 300