Nature’s Yoke, one of the oldest co-ops of family farms on the east coast producing organic, pasture-raised and free-range eggs, plans to eliminate post-consumer recycled plastic (rPET) egg cartons in 2020 and replace them with cartons made from 100% post-consumer paper. By eliminating all plastic egg packaging, Nature’s Yoke will reduce the number of plastic cartons used within the egg industry by 4,560,090 cartons annually. Lined up end-to-end, the 4.5M+ cartons cover 864 miles, nearly the distance between New York City and Chicago.
As a four-generation family-run business, this decision aligns with Nature’s Yoke commitment to the environment. Furthermore, removing single-use plastic from the food system is imperative, as the current U.S. recycling system is in crisis, due to import restrictions and tariffs placed on China by the current U.S. administration. As a result much of our plastic waste is not being recycled, adding to landfills, or worse.
“Along with the problems associated with single-use plastic, our decision to switch completely to renewable egg cartons reflects our 55-year commitment to sustainability, good stewardship and always considering future generations,” said Nature’s Yoke Marketing & Brand Specialist, George Weaver IV, who represents the fourth generation of Weavers to lead Nature’s Yoke. “The bottom line is that plastic is ruining our earth, oceans, animals and air. We understand it’s a challenging problem and there’s no simple solution, but where we see an opportunity to make better choices, we always will. Every small step counts.”
About Nature’s Yoke
Nature’s Yoke organic pasture-raised and free-range chicken and duck eggs are produced by a four-generation family-run business which began in 1964 and is located in New Holland, PA. With the mission of supporting local farmers and investing in the local community, Nature’s Yoke’s eggs come from family farms located throughout Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and are available across the U.S. The company is committed to sustainable farming, the ethical treatment of animals, good stewardship and innovation. Guided by this future-focused philosophy and the desire to promote healthy living, in 1988 George Weaver II produced the first-ever low-cholesterol egg which was verified as having 20-25% less cholesterol. Nature’s Yoke is dedicated to a full spectrum of community give-back initiatives, philanthropies and employee paid time off to volunteer.
