A proposal for humane treatment of livestock on organic farms will remain open for comment an additional 30 days, through July 13, said USDA. Among its provisions, the proposed regulation on animal welfare would require poultry farms to encourage all birds to go outside every day, eventually ending confinement-style egg production.
The standards on poultry farms have attracted the greatest attention. About 90 percent of organic eggs are produced in confinement settings, according to the Cornucopia institute, which says the USDA proposal on poultry is too weak overall. The proposal would not count porches as outdoor space and spells out how much space each bird must have indoors. The rule also would prohibit tail-docking of pigs and debeaking of poultry.
Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture committees, who asked for a 90-day extension, said the additional 30 days will allow producers, retailers, consumers and other groups more time to flesh out their comments. In a letter to USDA last month, the Agriculture Committee leaders said, “Our constituents have expressed significant concern about unintended consequences,” such as higher prices for organic food, “increased exposure to disease and mortality for organic poultry,” and new barriers to farmers who want to switch to organic production.