Back in January, we told you that the Organic Trade Association was suing the USDA on behalf of chicken welfare because the USDA was considering withdrawing some “Obama-era rules that would have made it tougher for large-scale egg farms to earn organic certification.” 1 And we can now confirm that the USDA has indeed decided to withdraw those rules. What this basically means is that factory farms can continue to claim that their closed-in porches, which is a generous description of what those hens live in, provide “adequate outdoor access”2for tens of thousands of hens.
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But make no mistake. They do not. If I were an egg-eating consumer (yet another reason I am plant-based) I would be furious.
“Smaller producers who provide open yards for egg-laying hens have complained that the loophole lets competitors reap the premium price of organic eggs without substantially changing their operations.
Livestock and poultry companies, however, complained that the rules went beyond the intent of the original law establishing organic certification, which covered only feed and medicine.”3
Do consumers want to purchase food from suppliers that effectually torture their animals, before slaughtering them? No, they do not. And they have repeatedly said so.
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An industry advocacy group has called the withdrawal “logical” because the USDA’s economic analysis suggested the rule would have driven 45% of organic producers out of the market.
Doubtful.
The Organic Trade Assn., whose lawsuit is still pending, responded by saying,
“This groundless step by USDA is being taken against a backdrop of nearly universal support among the organic businesses and consumers for the fully vetted rules that USDA has now rejected.” 4
The new rule takes effect in May. We will update you as soon as the trial begins or there is new news to share.
