The VT Egg Label Decoder
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Having trouble decoding the various labels you see printed on egg cartons these days? Here’s a quick primer on what the labels mean. (Buyer beware: many are misleading!)
CERTIFIED ORGANIC (USDA ORGANIC)
PROS
not caged
housed in barns or warehouses
access to the outdoors is required
fed an organic vegetarian diet
no antibiotics or pesticides used
third-party auditing (inspection through an independent source) is used
CONS
amount, duration, and quality of outdoor access is not specified
beak cutting (trimming of the beak to prevent cannibalism in densely populated conditions) is allowed
forced molting (withdrawal of food and light in effort to force birds to shed their feathers to prepare for another egg production cycle) is allowed
FREE RANGE
PROS
usually not caged
some access to outdoors
able to perform natural behaviors such as creating nests and foraging (the act of searching for food)
CONS
no written standards are set by the USDA for “free-range” egg production in terms of stock density, actual access to the outdoors, or living conditions quality
beak trimming and forced molting are allowed
No third-party auditing
CERTIFIED HUMANE
PROS
not caged
live in barns or warehouses
capable of engaging in natural behaviors
written standards for stock density
prohibits forced molting through starvation
third-party auditing is used
CONS
may be kept indoors at all times
beak trimming is allowed
CAGE FREE
PROS
not caged
able to engage in many natural behaviors such as walking, nesting, and spreading their wings
CONS
unlikely to go outdoors
beak trimming and forced molting are allowed
no third-party auditing
FREE ROAMING
PROS
usually not caged
some outdoor access
usually allowed to create nests and forage
CONS
No written standards by the USDA for “free-roaming” egg production
No third-party auditing
UNITED EGG PRODUCERS CERTIFIED
PROS
prohibits forced molting
CONS
almost all U.S. egg producers meet the minimum standards of this program, which allows inhumane factory-farm practices
hens confined in very small cages (67 square inches of cage space per bird)
cannot engage in any natural behaviors, including spreading their wings
permits beak trimming
VEGETARIAN FED
PROS
feed contains no animal by-products
CONS
the “vegetarian-fed” certification sets no standard for birds’ living conditions
This information was obtained from The Humane Society of the United States’s “A Brief Guide to Egg Carton Labels and Their Relevance to Animal Welfare.”
For a more detailed investigation, please refer to Vegetarian Journal’s “Egg Labels and Certifications: What Do They Mean?”
—Anna Monette Roberts