Life Cycle Sustainability Measurement and Management Program for Canadian Egg Producers

Evolving marketplace expectations – in particular from food processors and retailers – are placing increasing pressure on agricultural producers to measure, report, and demonstrate continuous improvement with respect to sustainability indicators. Current and emerging programs and requirements are heterogeneous in terms of specific indicators employed, associated methods and data requirements, and rigor. A common approach based on best-available life cycle sustainability measurement science and data is lacking.

This four year, funded PhD project in the Food Systems PRISM Lab (www.prismlab.weebly.com) at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus will answer this challenge by developing and implementing a rigorous, life cycle sustainability assessment platform (SAP) for the Canadian egg industry. The platform will integrate other research outputs in the Food Systems PRISM Lab, including: (1) a full egg industry supply chain LCA model based on a 2012 baseline model; (2) research regarding sustainability best management practices; (3) research regarding green technology options for Canadian egg farms; and (3) a sustainable feed formulation decision support tool. The platform will enable individual egg farmers to evaluate, monitor, and report the supply chain resource requirements and waste emissions attributable to their products relative to regional, national and housing system average benchmarks across a range of relevant resource and environmental impact domains. The calculator will also provide for assessment of the mitigation potential associated with farm-level achievement of industry best practice benchmarks or implementation of specific green technology options. This will allow farmers to set individual goals and define strategies for goal achievement.

The student will subsequently work with Egg Farmers of Canada to develop programing to incentivize implementation of the tool industry-wide, and to develop industry-level targets and milestones.

Project outputs will include a PhD dissertation, presentation of results at egg industry association professional meetings, conference presentations, submission of study results for publication in peer-reviewed venues, and a ready-to-use sustainably assessment tool for egg farmers.

This project will commence in September 2018. Interested students should e-mail me a description of research interests (referring, in particular, to how your interests and experience relate to the specific project you wish to work on), a CV (including two academic and/or professional references), and copies of unofficial transcripts. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Please also indicate your interest in particular degree programs at UBCO, including in Biology or through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies Program. Also indicate your preferred start date (i.e. January, May or September 2018).

If you are an international student, please also self-assess your transcripts against the published requirements for admission to the UBC College of Graduate Studies (https://gradstudies.ok.ubc.ca/prospective/application-admission/admission-requirements/min-academic-requirements-international.html) and similarly self-assess your TOEFL test scores. Candidates not meeting these requirements will not be further considered.

Prospective students satisfying all of the above stated criteria may be contacted to schedule a Skype interview.

Application deadline to the UBCO College of Graduate Studies is June 2 for January admission, October 1 for May admission and January 31 for September admission. Prospective students are advised to correspond with Dr. Pelletier well in advance of this date in order to discuss their candidacy.