Cornucopia Institute Finds That Organic Egg Production Facilities Aren’t What They Seem

The Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group, reports that its investigation of purported organic egg producers found many facilities as crowded and “industrial” as those at conventional egg farms. U.S. organic standards require that organic chickens have access to the outdoors, but many farms pay only minimal lip service to the rule. In fact, 11 organic egg producers signed a letter to the National Organic Standards Board last year contesting the requirement, arguing that it was too financially burdensome. The Institute is planning  an official complaint to the USDA about unsatisfactory conditions at four farms, including Hillandale Farms, one of the producers involved in the recent salmonella outbreak. Besides Hillandale, egg producers Cornucopia is targeting in its complaint are The Country Hen (Mass.), Petaluma Farms (Calif.) and Paul Fuenger Farm (Wis.).