USDA’s animal welfare rules requiring outdoor space for organic chicken threatened by agribusiness opponents
YONKERS, NY — Consumer Reports released a survey today that found that the vast majority — 86 percent — of consumers who often or always buy organic food say it’s highly important that animals used to produce these foods are raised on farms with high standards for animal welfare. The survey found that 83 percent of these consumers think it’s highly important that organic eggs come from hens that were able to go outdoors, and have enough space to move around freely.
The Consumer Reports survey was released at the same time that agribusiness interests are pressuring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to abandon its rules requiring organic producers to abide by strong animal welfare standards. The rules were set to go into effect in March but have been delayed. Consumer Reports urged the USDA to enact the new rules without further delay.
“Consumers expect organic farms to adhere to strong and consistent standards, including high standards for animal welfare,” said Charlotte Vallaeys, Senior Policy Analyst with Consumer Reports, testifying at a meeting of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board in Denver today. “That includes letting chickens outdoors where they can move around freely, rather than continually cooped up indoors.”
An outdoor space that is large enough to accommodate all chickens is not currently required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) standards for organic producers. The organic standards only state that farmers have to provide animals with “access to the outdoors,” and some large-scale producers meet this requirement with a small, entirely enclosed, concrete or dirt-covered porch.
To address this inconsistency, and to ensure that all organic farms adhere to high standards for animal welfare, the USDA developed a new rule. Published earlier this year after nearly a decade of public participation in the organic rulemaking process, the new rule includes minimum outdoor space requirements for chickens.
Powerful agricultural interests, especially organic egg producers who raise hens in indoor confinement with no meaningful outdoor space, oppose the rule. It is unclear whether the incoming Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, will support issuing the rule once he is confirmed. Even if the rule goes into effect, Congress could revoke it under the Congressional Review Act.
“The USDA should make the organic animal welfare rule effective without further delay,” said Vallaeys. “Producers shouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose which organic requirements they will meet. This new rule for organics makes clear that outdoor access for animals is not negotiable.”
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a nationally representative phone survey to assess the opinion of Americans regarding standards for the organic label. Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) of Princeton, New Jersey administered the survey to a nationally representative sample of 1,018 adult U.S. residents through its CARAVAN Omnibus Survey. Respondents were selected by means of random-digit dialing and were interviewed via phone. The survey fielded from March 23-26, 2017. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The data were statistically weighted so that respondents in the survey are demographically and geographically representative of the U.S. population.
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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
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