What do egg labels really mean?
From: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=244232&ac=FoodToday's Portland Press Herald gives us the breakdown...
WHAT THEY MEAN
CERTIFIED ORGANIC: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, and are required to have outdoor access, but the amount, duration and quality of outdoor access is undefined. They are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permittted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sets the standards, and compliance is verified through a third party.
FREE RANGE: Free-range hens are uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have some degree of outdoor access, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration or quality of time spent outdoors. There are no restrictions regarding what the birds can be fed. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
CERTIFIED HUMANE: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses but may be kept indoors at all times. There are requirements for stocking density and number of perches and nesting boxes. Beak cutting is allowed. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited. Compliance is verified by a third party. Program of Humane Farm Animal Care.
ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED: Birds are cage-free, and continuous outdoor perching access is required. There are requirements for stocking density, perching, space and nesting boxes. Beak cutting is prohibited, and birds molt naturally. Program of the Animal Welfare Institute.
CAGE-FREE: Birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
FREE ROAMING: Also known as "free-range," the USDA has defined this claim for some poultry products, but there are no standards in "free-roaming" egg production. This essentially means the hens are cage-free. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
UNITED EGG PRODUCERS CERTIFIED: The overwhelming majority of the U.S. egg industry complies with this voluntary program of the United Egg Producers. Birds are confined to cages, the dimensions of which are 67 to 86 square inches, depending on the size of the bird and the size and style of the cage. Compliance verified through a third party. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited, but beak cutting is allowed.
VEGETARIAN-FED: Birds' feed does not contain animal byproducts. No requirements regarding animal welfare.
NATURAL: This label claim has nothing to do with nutrition or animal welfare.
FERTILE: These eggs were laid by hens who lived with roosters, meaning they most likely were not caged.
OMEGA-3-ENRICHED: Omega-3 fatty acid levels in the eggs are boosted through the addition of flax seed or marine algae to the birds' feed. Most producers use flax seed, which does not provide the most beneficial form of omega-3s.
Copyright © 2009 Blethen Maine Newspapers
WHAT THEY MEAN
CERTIFIED ORGANIC: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, and are required to have outdoor access, but the amount, duration and quality of outdoor access is undefined. They are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permittted. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sets the standards, and compliance is verified through a third party.
FREE RANGE: Free-range hens are uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have some degree of outdoor access, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration or quality of time spent outdoors. There are no restrictions regarding what the birds can be fed. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
CERTIFIED HUMANE: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses but may be kept indoors at all times. There are requirements for stocking density and number of perches and nesting boxes. Beak cutting is allowed. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited. Compliance is verified by a third party. Program of Humane Farm Animal Care.
ANIMAL WELFARE APPROVED: Birds are cage-free, and continuous outdoor perching access is required. There are requirements for stocking density, perching, space and nesting boxes. Beak cutting is prohibited, and birds molt naturally. Program of the Animal Welfare Institute.
CAGE-FREE: Birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
FREE ROAMING: Also known as "free-range," the USDA has defined this claim for some poultry products, but there are no standards in "free-roaming" egg production. This essentially means the hens are cage-free. There is no third-party verification of compliance.
UNITED EGG PRODUCERS CERTIFIED: The overwhelming majority of the U.S. egg industry complies with this voluntary program of the United Egg Producers. Birds are confined to cages, the dimensions of which are 67 to 86 square inches, depending on the size of the bird and the size and style of the cage. Compliance verified through a third party. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited, but beak cutting is allowed.
VEGETARIAN-FED: Birds' feed does not contain animal byproducts. No requirements regarding animal welfare.
NATURAL: This label claim has nothing to do with nutrition or animal welfare.
FERTILE: These eggs were laid by hens who lived with roosters, meaning they most likely were not caged.
OMEGA-3-ENRICHED: Omega-3 fatty acid levels in the eggs are boosted through the addition of flax seed or marine algae to the birds' feed. Most producers use flax seed, which does not provide the most beneficial form of omega-3s.
Copyright © 2009 Blethen Maine Newspapers
posted by VFA Maine at 9:24 PM
