Delivering the week’s top organic food news
9.7.2022
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The New Organic Animal Welfare Standards Provide More Clarity but May Be a Serious Step Backwards

(Do these organic birds have true “access to the outdoors” and are they able to express their natural behaviors on vegetation? Images courtesy of OrganicEye.)


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Contrary to what one might believe, making organic rules less ambiguous — and more clear — may not lead to a better outcome for both organic consumers and the integrity of the organic seal.

Such is the reality we are now dealing with when it comes to organic animal welfare standards; more specifically, the conditions in which chickens and hens are raised.

After nearly two decades of lobbying by the industry to implement the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) rule, the Trump administration withdrew these rules in 2018. Last month, the Biden administration reversed course and announced that it would reinstate them, which drew loud applause from various groups in the organic sector.

As the rules currently read, birds must have access to the outdoors, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, clean drinking water, shade and direct sunlight — suitable for the animal’s stage of life, climate and environment. They need to be able to express their natural behaviors, which include exercise, roosting, scratching and dustbathing. Indoor temporary confinement is allowed during certain parts of their life and when necessary to keep them safe from predators and inclement weather.

Yet, with no specified definitions about what exactly constitutes “outdoors” or the minimum space the birds must have, bad actors have taken advantage of the system by operating organic egg and chicken farms that are not materially different than some conventional, factory farm operations. Even worse is that numerous organic certifiers have signed off on these operations.

Despite the fact the precise standards have not been spelled out by the USDA until this point, all it takes is a degree of intellectual honesty from certifiers to surmise whether an operation is in compliance with the spirit and intent of organic rules. The most egregious example of not abiding by this is the allowance of covered porches, with concrete floors and screens on the walls, to be considered “outdoor space” for the birds.

Given the disparity between what some organic certifiers will allow and what others will not, the industry has been clamoring for a clear and defined set of rules. This is not an unreasonable ask and would seem to eliminate any gray areas that some certifiers and farms have been able to hide behind.

However, not everyone believes that the proposed rules, even if they remove a great deal of ambiguity, are a step forward.

“Right now, what these massive ‘organic’ egg and chicken operators are doing is illegal,” said Mark Kastel, co-director of OrganicEye. “If OLPP passes, as currently proposed, it will codify these illegal practices, and these factory chicken and egg facilities will continue to operate, with just some very minor cosmetic changes. Organic consumers will be the ones who are deceived, and the industry should be demanding something much more stringent and healthier for the birds.”

“The current proposed rule demonstrates the power of chemical agriculture over the organic sector,” added Linley Dixon, co-director of the Real Organic Project.

In the proposed rules for outdoor space:

– The screens on the porch walls have been eliminated but concrete floors and roofs are still allowed. Roofs can be problematic for birds because a clear view of the sky alerts them to possible predators and makes them feel more safe.
– 50% of the outdoor space can be paved over with concrete or gravel, despite the fact that birds need to be on pasture or soil to exhibit their natural behaviors.
– Once outside, hens and chickens will have 1-2 square feet (depending on the weight of the birds) to roam around. In Europe, they are required to have 43 square feet.

“With these new rules, there will be a path leading to a 40-acre field, which the birds may have to exit through a series of small doors, traverse a semi-enclosed porch with a roof, step over a concrete curb and then walk over a paved or graveled surface before reaching any semblance of a natural environment. No chickens will ever go out there, but in theory, they will have ‘access to pasture,’” said Mark Kastel.

“We have some very serious concerns with this rule, including failure to define ‘access’ and poor description of outdoor space, among many other issues,” put forth Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. “We’ll be advocating that they all get corrected and that any exception should be to benefit animals, not to make more money,”

For those who are unsure whether this OLPP rule is a step in the right direction or is merely a continuance of the business-as-usual pandering to big corporate interests, one could look at a proposed implementation time to gauge the USDA’s sincerity to create meaningful change.

Layer operations certified at the time of the rule’s effective date will have 15 years to comply with the rule’s outdoor space requirements concerning stocking density, exit doors, soil and vegetation.

______

Update: The USDA extended the deadline to submit comments on these proposed rules to November 1o, 2022, and here are OrganicEye’s comments to the USDA.

(At an organic farm in Iowa, chickens are truly enjoying themselves on healthy grass outside of a layer house, with approximately 5,000 birds.)

With gratitude,

Max Goldberg, Founder

This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* The 8th Annual Soil Not Oil Gathering: Organic Regenerative & Agroecological Practices will be taking place in Petaluma, CA on September 17-18.


* Erewhon just opened its 8th store, in Beverly Hills.


* Le Botaniste, NYC’s first carbon-neutral organic restaurant, is helping to clean up New York’s rivers for World Cleanup Day.


* Natural Grocers is honoring Organic Month in September with a Beyond Pesticides fundraiser.


* Organic, soil-based Agbotic won the AgTech Breakthrough award for “Greenhouse Production System of the Year.”


* Rumiano Cheese Company has committed to carbon neutrality by 2030.


* Brazil is set to build the world’s biggest urban garden by 2024 — the size of 15 soccer fields.


* This California hotel is a veritable horticultural haven.


* The most talked-about farm stand in NYC — and legendary organic farmer Eliot Coleman played a key role in helping it come to fruition.


* Every college needs one of these. Kudos to you, Dartmouth.


New Organic Products

New Organic Products

Cool Peppermint Cream Magic All-One Chocolate from Dr. Bronner's

Launching next month from Dr. Bronner's is the company's latest addition to its line-up of organic Magic All-One Chocolate -- Cool Peppermint Cream. Delivering a lightly sweet mint taste, this dark 70% chocolate bar is made with cocoa beans from Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which were grown using regenerative organic farming practices.

Plant-Based Cheezee Crackers from Mary's Gone Crackers

Mary's Gone Crackers has just introduced plant-based Cheezee Crackers in two flavors -- Cheddar and Cheese & Herb. Organic, gluten-free and Non-GMO, these crackers are also made with Palm Done Right palm oil -- an organization dedicated to fostering sustainable, organic, fair-trade palm oil.

Grain-Free Cookies, Crackers and Biscotti from The Greater Goods Snacking Co.

With operations currently in India, The Greater Goods Snacking Co. is launching into the U.S. market with three organic product lines -- cookies, crackers and biscotti. Everything is almond flour-based, grain-free, vegan, paleo-friendly and free from several top allergens.  

Aiolis and Burger Sauce from Woodstock Foods

Woodstock Foods, a UNFI brand, is introducing to consumers three new organic condiments -- Sriracha Aioli, Lemon Dill Aioli and a Burger Sauce. The products are part of Woodstock’s effort to expand its organic condiment offerings beyond the traditional staples, including its jalapeño relish and recently released line of hot sauces.
This Week's News Items

Weekly News Summaries

First Course
Supermarket News

Organic Fresh Produce Feels Double-Edged Sword of Inflation

By Russell Redman 1

According to the Organic Produce Network and Category Partners, inflation gave a lift to organic fresh produce dollar sales but pinched unit volume in the second quarter of 2022.

TechCrunch

Misfits Market to acquire Imperfect Foods

By Christine Hall

Online grocery company Misfits Market to acquire Imperfect Foods in an all-stock deal.

Dairy Reporter

‘Traumatic and Devastating’: Organic Farmers Cope with Fallout from Danone Exit

By Teodora Lyubomirova

“The effect on the farms that had their contract canceled was traumatic and devastating, not only to them but to the regional community,”​ said Ed Maltby, executive director of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance.

Food Dive

Neutral Foods gets $12M for Zero-Carbon Dairy Expansion

By Megan Poinski

Led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the funding from this Series A round will be used to continue its national expansion and to double the number of retailers that carry its products.

Second Course
Natural Newsdesk

Activists Blockade and Get Arrested at Regenerative Agriculture Summit

By Jim Manson

With sponsors such as Syngenta and Nestle, the Regenerative Agriculture & Food Systems Summit faced real backlash.

CNBC

Amazon bought Whole Foods Five Years Ago. Here’s What’s Changed.

By Katie Schoolov

One of the numerous changes is the introduction of palm-scanning devices, which allow for checkout-free shopping.

Food Navigator

UK Survey: 60% of People Do Not Want Lab-Grown Meat

By Flora Southey

One should expect similar numbers in the U.S., yet group after group is trying to feed us propaganda that this is the only way to feed the world.

Third Course
BusinessWire

Coyuchi to Go Public

Coyuchi, the first organic luxury home goods brand for sustainable living, has filed to go public through a Regulation A+ offering.

WBAL-TV 11

Workers at MOM's Organic Market in Hampden, VA Vote to Unionize

By Khiree Stewart

Workers at MOM's Organic Market voted 58-5 to join Teamsters Local 570, in hopes of better pay, a clear pay structure and more job security.

Reuters

In France, People are Forgoing Organic Because of Inflation

By Leigh Thomas and Caroline Pailliez

Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard, the head of Europe's largest food retailer, said consumers now have penny-pinching approach to shopping and are swapping out organic for conventional.


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This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* The 8th Annual Soil Not Oil Gathering: Organic Regenerative & Agroecological Practices will be taking place in Petaluma, CA on September 17-18.


* Erewhon just opened its 8th store, in Beverly Hills.


* Le Botaniste, NYC’s first carbon-neutral organic restaurant, is helping to clean up New York’s rivers for World Cleanup Day.


* Natural Grocers is honoring Organic Month in September with a Beyond Pesticides fundraiser.


* Organic, soil-based Agbotic won the AgTech Breakthrough award for “Greenhouse Production System of the Year.”


* Rumiano Cheese Company has committed to carbon neutrality by 2030.


* Brazil is set to build the world’s biggest urban garden by 2024 — the size of 15 soccer fields.


* This California hotel is a veritable horticultural haven.


* The most talked-about farm stand in NYC — and legendary organic farmer Eliot Coleman played a key role in helping it come to fruition.


* Every college needs one of these. Kudos to you, Dartmouth.


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