EGGS
Carton Label Definitions
CAGE FREE: The hens are not kept in tiny battery cages, but, with this label, they may still be kept indoors 24/7, often in over crowded conditions.
HORMONE FREE: A meaningless label given that It’s illegal in the United States to give hormones to chickens for egg production.
ORGANIC: The hens must be cage-free, fed an organic diet grown without pesticides, managed without antibiotics, and have seasonal access to the outdoors.
Humane Certified: The hens are not confined and are allowed to express their natural behaviors and needs— dust bathe, perch, and roam. They eat high-quality feed, free of antibiotics.
FREE RANGE: This requires “access to the outdoors,” but does not regulate the size of the size of the outdoor access door (can mean one small opening for thousands of birds), how much time the hens spend outside, or the quality/size of the outdoor area.
PASTURE RAISED: The birds are raised outdoors on actual pasture, where they can roam and forage for insects and plants. It is meant to provide a minimum of 108 square feet of pasture space per hen.
