Make Organic Humane
- by: Susan Vaughan
- recipient: The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
Just because packaged poultry is labeled organic doesn't mean it's humane. But the ASPCA wants to make it at least less inhumane from now on
According to ASPCA, current standards don’t provide for proper and humane conditions for raising chicken, turkeys, ducks or geese that are later sold as organic products. They don’t provide animals with adequate air quality or space, and they don’t prohibit beak cutting or force-feeding associated with foie gras production.
Nor are these inhumane practices banned in the proposed standards to be discussed in an upcoming meeting of the USDA-appointed National Organic Standards Board.
ASPCA says it will be attending the meeting to ask for humane treatment of these animals, and it needs your support.
Join them in telling NOSB that “these birds deserve better.” Tell them to Make Organic Humane!
We, the undersigned, join with the ASPCA in advocating for less inhumane standards governing organic poultry production.
Below is is ASPCA's complete list of standards they ask you to adopt:
"1. All animals should have enough space to allow them to engage in natural movements and behaviors. Please increase minimum indoor and outdoor space allowances for chickens and turkeys.
2. The proposed guidance should prohibit the force-feeding of birds for the production of foie gras.
3. Beak trimming should be prohibited unless proper husbandry techniques have first been used to eliminate feather pecking and cannibalism. When performed, it should inflict the least amount of pain possible.
4. Poor air quality can affect the health and welfare of birds. NOSB’s proposed maximum ammonia level is equivalent to the conventional industry standard and does not provide adequately for welfare. Ammonia levels at organic poultry facilities should be less than 10 ppm, and corrective action must be taken if the level exceeds 15 ppm.
5. Producers should raise slow-growing poultry breeds to avoid the debilitating health problems associated with rapid weight gain."
We agree with ASPCA that consumers who buy organic poultry expect the animals raised for this food not to be treated inhumanely.
We request, as minimum measures, that you adopt ASPCA's standards outlined above so that chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks raised for organic food are treated as humanely as possible.
We would also prefer these animals be raised fully free-range.
Thank you for your attention to these concerns.
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