The
United States Department of Agriculture is proposing much stricter
animal welfare standards for organic meat and poultry.
They
would require enough space to lie down, turn around, stand up and
fully stretch their limbs. Chicken beaks could not be trimmed and
tails could not be docked. Poultry houses would have to have fresh
air and ventilation.
"This
will support the continued growth in the organic livestock and
poultry sectors, and ensure consumer confidence in the organic
label," said Miles McEvoy, the head of USDA's organic program.
The
retail market for organic products is valued at almost $40 billion in
the United States.
USDA
said this week that the number of certified organic operations in the
United States increased by almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015,
the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300
percent since the department began counting operations in 2002.
The
broadest changes proposed by USDA would cover outdoor access for
poultry, suggesting standards for how densely poultry can be stocked
as well as minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements. The rules
would require poultry have access to areas that are at least 50
percent covered in soil. Hen houses would not be allowed to only have
a porch; producers would have to provide additional outdoor space.
In
addition to clean water and direct access to sun and shade, the rules
would require producers to design facilities to encourage all birds
to go outside on a daily basis. The outdoor areas would have to have
"suitable enrichment" to entice birds to go outside, McEvoy
said.
The
amount of outside access for poultry has been a subject of debate, as
some food safety advocates have expressed concerns that more outdoor
access may increase the chances of salmonella contamination.
The
Food and Drug Administration issued guidance in 2013 to try to help
organic egg producers better prevent salmonella, a bacteria that can
cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and can be deadly without
prompt antibiotic treatment.
The
Organic Trade Association, which represents many of the nation's
largest companies that sell organic products, did not comment on
specifics of the proposal. But the group's president, Laura Batcha,
said she was pleased USDA is moving forward with the rule.
"Ensuring
that the high expectations consumers have for organic foods are met
preserves the organic seal's reputation as the gold standard for
agricultural production practices," Batcha said.
Other
producers expressed concerns.
Jim
Byrum, president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association, said the
rules could slow business for egg producers, which could in turn
reduce the demand for organic corn and soybeans that the chickens
eat.
"Eliminating
porches that already allow organic hens to be outside would render
tens of millions of dollars of investment by many organic egg
producers obsolete," Bynum said. "The proposal also makes
deeply unrealistic assumptions about food safety, requiring direct
exposure of hens to the outdoors."
McEvoy
said USDA understands the rules would mean additional investment for
some businesses. But he said the rules would "assure consumers
that organically produced products meet a consistent standard."
