By Imani Walker/ Full360 Reporter
Public ethics has made its way into grocery stores.
Extra words on food packages greet customers as they stroll their way down the meat and egg aisles, drawing attention the more appealing they seem. The rise of public opinion determining the ethics in agricultural business models has influenced how businesses label their foods. Thus, the creation of ‘Cage-Free’ and ‘Free-Range’ labels. These claims bring a competitive nature between shopping carts and the check-out lane.
The vague description of these labels often paint a picture that may not align with what the public think they mean. There is more to the package than meets the label. Consuming products without a full understanding of its background leads to consumer bias and confusion.
Label claims such as ‘Cage-Free’ and ‘Free Range’ are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to Joanne Powell, an alumna and Instructor of Animal Science as well as Department Co-Chair at DelVal, the definition of cage-free literally means the birds “can’t be in cages”.
However, Powell elaborated that often at a “cage-free operation, they are still in a big, enclosed building… and there might be 40,000 birds in there that have free access to feed and water.”
In this instance, cage-free is just the implication that the birds are not in literal cages, but the USDA does not define any other specific terms. For instance, square footage per bird for indoor or outdoor enclosures are not documented specifically for the cage-free label. In fact, there is no requirement that birds have access to outside at all for ‘Cage-Free’ labeling. That is the defining difference between ‘Cage-Free’ and ‘Free-Range’.
‘Free-range’ requires birds to have “continuous access to the outside” along with all of the other basic accommodations including unconditional access to food and water, said Powell. Although, the label itself does not include a minimum amount of outside space for the birds or outside time. Such practices lead to consumer confusion, Nathan Reed, a senior Criminal Justice major at DelVal thought ‘Free-Range’ labeling meant chickens run freely in pasture. The vagueness of ‘Free-Range’ has led the public to believe the label implies that chickens are on pasture full-time. Yet, the label leaves outside time and space to be determined by the individual company.
Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) has an additional certification labeled ‘Certified Humane’ that abiding manufacturers can label their poultry alongside ‘Free-Range.’ According to the HFAC, Certified Humane labels require manufacturers to accommodate “2 sq. ft. per bird” – and access outside for “at least 6 hours per day.”
It is important to acknowledge that a poultry manufacturer does not need to be ‘Certified Humane’ to be labeled ‘Free-Range.’ The USDA is in charge of requirements to ensure proper management and food safety. The HFAC is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to animal welfare. The HFAC is not eligible to enforce law as it is not government-run. They can only promote and certify based on their own definitions of labels.
At the end of the day, agriculture businesses are still businesses. They must run on profitability and marketing to gain consumer satisfaction and a customer base.
The public should be aware of what is marketing and what is reliable, however, all products sent through grocery stores are nutritionally even quality, Powell said. Glance at the label, acknowledge the definition, but as Powell reminds the public, don’t get “caught up in it.”
“All of it is safe.”
Sources:
Certified Humane – A Project of Humane Farm Animal Care
What does the United States Department of Agriculture do? (usda.gov)
Cage-free, free range, organic eggs: what all those labels really mean – Vox
Simply Nature Organic Free Range Chicken Breasts | ALDI REVIEWER