What is the difference between organic and non-organic eggs?
What makes an egg organic?
What are the benefits of organic eggs?
Do organic eggs have good animal welfare?
Do organic eggs taste different?
Are organic eggs good for you?
Are organic eggs “all natural”?
Do organic eggs have a darker yolk?
How are hens that produce organic eggs housed?
What are hens that produce organic eggs fed?
What are vegetarian fed eggs?
What does pasture-raised mean?
What about all of the other labels on a carton of eggs?
Are the standards for organic eggs stricter than other labels?
What about private label or store brand organic eggs?
Are there any differences between organic egg brands?
What are regenerative organic eggs?
What is “greenwashing?”
What is diversified organic farming?
What is “humanewashing?”
What is the difference between organic and non-organic eggs?
Conventional egg production is one of the most exploitative and harmful systems of livestock production in the United States. Around 60% of laying hens in the USA are confined to battery cages, where hens are limited to eating, sleeping, and laying eggs. The remainder of conventional egg production uses cage-free systems, which offer some improvements in animal welfare, but still can be crowded, dirty, and a high stress environment for the birds.
Conventional eggs are also part of a system that relies on animal feed produced with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and chemically intensive agriculture has been shown to have wide-ranging effects on both environmental and human health. For example, conventional food production relies on chemicals like neonicotinoids, which can cause harm to beneficial insects.
In contrast, organic egg production must follow strict requirements that dictate how the eggs are produced and handled. Organic hens are never caged or without outdoor access. Organic egg production also avoids many of the environmental issues of conventional agriculture because it requires feed production without the use of synthetic chemicals and relies on holistic methods to manage land.
Conventional producers try to argue that outdoor access requirements and prohibiting antibiotics are harmful the egg industry, but they lack the scientific and statistical evidence to support these claims. They will even go so far as to argue that battery cages are the safest and most humane options for laying hens, even though research has found no measurable improvement in the mortality rates of caged hens.
What makes an egg organic?
The Organic Foods Production Act and the organic regulations dictate that organic eggs must meet certain requirements to carry the “certified organic” seal. The requirements far exceed the standards for conventionally produced eggs, ensuring that organic eggs are produced in ways that are more humane and better for the environment. Organic egg producers must prove on a yearly basis they are meeting these requirements and are certified by in-person audits.
The requirements include, but are not limited to:
1. The hens are fed an organic diet of feed produced without conventional pesticides or fertilizers.
2. Organic birds are always cage-free and producers must provide legitimate year-round outdoor access (with some exceptions). This standard exceeds the low bar of “free range” and “cage free” eggs.
3. Medications, sanitizers, and any other input that goes into producing the eggs must be approved for use in organic systems. Further, the use of antibiotics and growth hormones are outright prohibited. Producers are required to treat animals if their welfare is at stake, but that animal cannot then be used again to produce organic eggs.
4. The organic label applies before the eggs are even laid and follows them all the way to the grocery shelf. Every step of the organic supply chain must meet certain requirements and every aspect is scrutinized. Both the land the hens forage on and the hens themselves must be certified and maintained under organic principles. The land cannot have pesticides or synthetic fertilizers applied to it. Even the “handlers” of the eggs must be certified organic.
The USDA site gives an overview of common practices organic producers and handlers use to ensure organic integrity and operation sustainability.
What are the benefits of organic eggs?
Organic eggs have many benefits, especially in comparison to conventional eggs. For example:
- Organic laying hens are fed organic feed that is grown without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers
- Organic eggs are produced without the use of GMOs anywhere in the production stream (from the feed to the birds themselves)
- Organic birds are always free-range and have access to the outdoors year-round
- The organic label prohibits the use of antibiotics and growth hormones
- The organic label requires producers to maintain or improve the natural resources of their operation, including soil and water quality.
One of the significant benefits of organic eggs is felt through the lengthy certification process for organic products. The USDA National Organic Program regulates all organic crops, livestock and agricultural products certified to the USDA organic standards. The USDA also conducts oversight of organic certification, compliance and enforcement activities, and product labeling. To sell, label or represent their products as organic, organic farms and businesses must follow all of the specifications set out by the USDA organic regulations.
Do organic eggs have good animal welfare?
As a baseline, organic laying hens must have year-round access to the outdoors, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, clean water for drinking, and direct sunlight. This baseline affords organic hens much better animal welfare than the majority of conventional hens, most of which are still confined in cramped battery cages.
Regulatory change recently improved the baseline for organic poultry welfare. The Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) rulemaking presented a much-needed update to the livestock standards. After several iterations and public comment periods, the rule went into effect January 2, 2025.
OLPS outlaws the use of porches as “outdoor access”, updates spacing requirements, allowed alterations, and defines outdoor areas for poultry.
Some aspects of OLPS are delayed, while others are already in place. The specific provisions delayed are:
*All organic operations must comply with the requirements of this rule by January 2, 2025, except:
1. Current certified organic layer operations and layer operations that are certified before January 2, 2025, have until January 2, 2029, to comply with the soil and vegetation requirements in 205.241(c)(2) and outdoor stocking density in 205.241(c)(4) & (c)(5).
2. Currently certified organic broiler operations and broiler operations that are certified before January 2, 2025, have until January 2, 2029, to comply with the soil and vegetation requirements in 205.241(c)(2), indoor stocking density requirements in 205.241(b)(10), and outdoor stocking density requirements in 205.241(c)(6).
3. Currently certified organic poultry operations and poultry operations that are certified before January 2, 2025, have until January 2, 2029, to comply with the poultry house exit area requirements in 205.241(b)(4)
Do organic eggs taste different?
The flavor and quality of every egg depends on the diet of the chicken that laid it. Hens that are able to forage outdoors on vegetation and invertebrates may lay eggs that taste more complex, and the color of the yolk may be more vibrant.
Are organic eggs good for you?
Consumers can lower their dietary risk from pesticides by consuming mostly organic food – including eggs! Research shows that organic eggs have some potential health benefits, especially when compared with conventional eggs raised in battery cages. Similarly, because organic farms are prohibited from using toxic agricultural pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, they are more likely to use more sustainable and climate-friendly farming techniques to produce feed for the laying hens. Organic eggs are part of a system that creates less of an environmental impact than conventional agricultural and promotes clean and healthy food production.
Are organic eggs “all natural”?
The Food and Drug Administration typically dictates what food labels mean, however the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates use of the word “natural” when applied to meat, poultry, and eggs.
According to the USDA, a “natural” product is one containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product.
By this definition, almost all eggs sold by the carton would be considered “all natural” because they don’t have added artificial ingredients. This remains true even if the hens were raised in cages in a crowded industrial environment.
Do organic eggs have a darker yolk?
The color of the yolk is not an indication of quality. Hens that have legitimate access to pasture eat plants, bugs, and seeds that vary by location and season, and their eggs have yolks in a wide range of colors from pale yellow to dark orange. If you buy your eggs from the same trusted producer year-round, you may see the yolk colors change with the seasons.
Because consumers perceive darker yolks to be a product of healthier hens, some industrial egg producers will even give their hens feed supplemented with color pigments or specific supplements that add a lot of color to the yolks. Because the color can be “faked,” it should not be used to determine whether a laying hen was legitimately pastured. If you want authentic organic eggs from healthy hens, use our scorecard to find top-rated producers in your area.
How are hens that produce organic eggs housed?
There are three general housing models common in the organic egg industry: mobile housing, fixed housing with high-quality outdoor access, and fixed housing with token outdoor access. The industrial model focuses on the third type of housing while authentic organic producers prioritize the natural behavior of their birds by providing quality outdoor time for each hen.
What are hens that produce organic eggs fed?
Organic hens are always fed 100% certified organic feed. Any land they forage on must also be certified organic. This means that all organic chicken feed must be free from pesticides, herbicides, and grown without synthetic fertilizers. All feed is also free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and genetic engineering.
Soy, corn, and other cereals that make up the bulk of chicken feed are particularly harmful crops when grown using conventional methods. Organic farmers are also required to show how they are managing the natural resources of their land and they typically implement practices that have known environmental benefits like cover cropping, rotations, and using compost.
What are vegetarian fed eggs?
Seeing this label on an egg carton only means that the chickens haven’t been intentionally fed animal by-products. This label was popularized due to fear that disease would be spread by chickens consuming animal by-products. Unfortunately, it often also means that the hens, who are actually omnivorous, have no access to the animal protein from insects, worms, and other small animals they would eat if allowed to forage outdoors.
What does pasture-raised mean?
In recent years, the USDA updated the definition of “pasture-raised” meat and poultry products, including eggs. The new definition is intended to help shoppers distinguish “free-range” from “pasture-raised” products.
The new labeling guidelines require that “pasture-raised” animals must be on pasture the majority of their life, where “pasture” is defined as land having rooted vegetative cover, grasses or plants; this is different from “free range,” which only requires that the animals have access to the outdoors.
However, the term “pasture-raised” is not otherwise under strict regulation by any government body, aside from basic laws preventing labels misleading consumers. Essentially: there are no inspections where producers have to prove they are meeting this definition. Instead, brands and farms are strongly encouraged to submit to FSIS to substantiate claims like “Pasture Raised,” “Pasture Fed,” “Pasture Grown,” and “Meadow Raised.”
With all this in mind, “pasture-raised” operations vary in what is actually happening on-the-ground. Some producers that “pasture-raise” their hens represent the gold standard of egg production. These producers only confine their hens at night and during inclement weather–rotating their mobile chicken coops out in the pasture. They are otherwise free to wander outdoors and into the coops at will.
Depending on the pasture quality, the hens may forage insects and worms to supplement their diet. Joel Salatin, who literally wrote the book on pastured poultry, says that even with best practices, 85% of what the birds eat during the summer is stored grain. In the winter, stored grain might be 100% of their feed.
What about all of the other labels on a carton of eggs?
Cornucopia has produced a guide to the other labels you can find on egg cartons.
Third-party animal welfare labels have no oversight and are free to change their standards whenever they like. When choosing a third-party animal welfare label, it’s important to choose one that is transparent about their standards and makes their certification process easily available on their website.
Are the standards for organic eggs stricter than other labels?
The organic seal is the only federally regulated label that has detailed standards that dictate how a product is produced from its inception to consumer purchase.
The organic label speaks to how an animal is raised. Antibiotics and growth hormones are not allowed in the production of organic eggs. Organic eggs are also free from genetically modified organisms, including GMO grain and soy feed.
What about private label or store brand organic eggs?
Make no mistake: Store brands (also called private labels) were created to boost profits. Under this business model, retailers or distributors contract for finished, packaged products under their own label, resulting in such popular examples as Safeway’s “O Organics,” Whole Foods’ “365,” and Trader Joe’s private label. Many store brand labels include both conventional and organic products.
Though a handful of brands source directly from smaller family-scale farms, many private labels place wholesale orders based on the lowest price available. Unfortunately, the rock bottom prices are linked to factory-organic sources with minimal animal welfare standards.
The biggest problem with private label brands is that they lack transparency. More information on specific private label brands can be found on Cornucopia’s Organic Egg Scorecard.
Are there any differences between organic egg brands?
Although all organic eggs must meet a certain strict legal standard to carry the term “organic” on their packaging, there is still wide variation in the current egg marketplace. Unfortunately, industrial agriculture has found a foothold in the organic egg marketplace – making consumer knowledge and choice particularly essential!
Due to the strict baselines for feed and other inputs, the differences in the organic egg marketplace are most seen in how the hens are housed. Genuine outdoor access for laying hens is the main variable in the different housing models found in the market.
Industrial-organic egg producers typically offer token outdoor time for their hens, making it highly unlikely that every bird is getting quality access to the outdoors. Through watchdog work, Cornucopia uncovered that most industrial-scale producers confine tens of thousands of hens, sometimes only offering tiny porches as “outdoor access”. While some organic certifiers do not allow this practice, industrialized producers can pick and choose from a handful of certifiers that are not as strict. (Luckily, porches are now outlawed by the updates to the regulations that happened when the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards rulemaking was finalized! This change was pushed for by Cornucopia’s policy team for years.)
Producers that emphasize quality outdoor access to their hens are higher integrity – and produce a consumer product that provides higher welfare and is more nutritious. These organic farms often house flocks of laying hens in mobile chicken coops or have smaller flock sizes in fixed houses. They also rotate or manage the outdoor area to make sure each hen can utilize the outdoor space without stripping the area of vegetation. This means that their hens can receive a percentage of their diet from fresh plants, earthworms, seeds, and insects. High quality outdoor access also encourages healthy behaviors like socializing, bathing, and playing.
What are regenerative organic eggs?
Regenerative agriculture is not a new idea, but it is gaining momentum as awareness of climate change, drought, and food security issues become more universal and urgent.
“Regenerative agriculture” describes, but does not always guarantee, holistic land management practices that focus on improving the land by increasing soil health, leveraging the carbon cycle, and increasing crop resilience through improved management practices. While “sustainable agriculture” may indicate that the farm is economically viable, socially supportive, and committed to preserving the ecology of natural resources, regenerative organic agriculture takes these ideas one step further by asking that agriculture continuously improve on the land.
[NOTE: Neither “regenerative” nor “sustainable” have meaningful definitions in the marketplace. USDA Certified Organic remains the only label with federal oversight of how a product is produced.]
Livestock, including hens, raised on healthy pasture and managed with an eye to improving the land, can aid in soil regeneration.
What is “greenwashing?”
The Cornucopia Institute is particularly concerned with the messaging on regenerative practices in agriculture and is committed to elevating authentic organic farmers who prioritize the health of the complex biological systems that are foundational to organic food systems.
Greenwashing—making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product to attract buyers—is particularly troublesome. Many brands use the term “regenerative” to describe practices that are, at best, token efforts to improve a bad situation and, at worst, degenerative. While practices like no-till and responsible pasturing are valuable tools, regenerative-organic goes much further.
To be truly regenerative, the whole farm ecosystem must be considered. That is the case with authentic organic beef producers who consider the health of nearby waterways, carbon sequestration, and impact on biodiversity, as well as soil and pasture health. Certification through a reputable organization can help producers stand out and reassure consumers that they are getting an authentic regenerative organic product.
What is diversified organic farming?
“Diversified farming” can refer to the sustainable and intentional practice of incorporating ecological diversity within the whole farm system. When implemented properly, this production style is site-specific, meaning the farmer thoughtfully incorporates a variety of crops or animals (or both) that will thrive together in the specific climate, microclimate, and field. Of course, “diversified farming” can more simply refer to operations that produce more than one product. Pairing diversified farming with agroecological principles leads to a number of benefits, including increased ecosystem services. Efforts to improve the sustainability and resilience of our food systems must include the diversification of agriculture.
Diversified farms typically encourage functional biodiversity through practices developed via traditional and agroecological knowledge. Diversified systems typically include multiple species of crops and livestock, which are managed in concert with the place-based needs of the land and region; no two diversified farms will be identical.
Diversified farms require the management of multiple crops and livestock species while maintaining and improving the ecological value of the land. By investing in potentially costly diversification strategies, authentic organic producers create resilient ecosystems that benefit us all.
Many diversified farms raise laying hens as part of their farm ecosystem. Chickens pair well with many other types of production; for example, they can be rotated with other types of livestock on pastures, with each livestock receiving some benefit from the rotation.
What is “humanewashing?”
Similar to “greenwashing”, “humanewashing” refers to a marketing tactic that uses misleading, confusing, or fraudulent descriptions of the treatment of livestock to market products. The term is often used by animal welfare and animal rights organizations to point out the incongruence between what is actually happening in livestock production compared to how a consumer understands that production based on the marketing being used by a brand.
