The organic poultry industry finds itself at a crossroads as the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), the expert citizen advisory panel to the USDA Secretary, has been debating a set of proposed new regulations for poultry and other livestock that would establish housing-density standards and a clearer understanding of what the requirement for outdoor access entails.
At its upcoming meeting, April 26-29 in Seattle, Washington, the NOSB will debate a proposed outdoor stocking rate for organically raised laying hens, currently proposed at 2 square feet per bird--viewed by many industry observers as woefully inadequate and a capitulation to pressure from industrial egg producers.
Cornucopia has been leading an effort to challenge corporate agribusinesses that would like to weaken the organic standards in their effort to legitimize "factory farm" egg production.
"We urge the USDA to take quick enforcement action against these industrial-scale scofflaws that are gaming the system. By doing so, we hope to protect the livelihoods of ethical family-scale organic farmers who are being placed at a distinct competitive disadvantage by corporations that are more than willing to cut corners in the pursuit of profit," concluded Cornucopia's Kastel.
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