The National Organic Program (NOP), a regulatory program within USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), on Thursday released a proposed rule for organic livestock and poultry practices, entitled “National Organic Program; Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices.”
The proposed rule follows requests for greater consistency and transparency in organic livestock, specifically poultry production, and is consistent with recommendations from the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), according to the agency. Current regulations for livestock and poultry in the NOP are general requirements to ensure welfare such as freedom to express natural behaviors, protection from predators and adverse weather, and preventive health care. The requirements in the proposed rule further specify practices in four main areas: living conditions, health care, transportation, and slaughter.
“Whether they produce organic or traditional chicken, broiler producers treat their birds humanely to ensure their health and wellbeing throughout life, starting at the hatchery to the farm and processing plant,” said NCC spokesperson Tom Super. “We plan to review the proposed rule in its entirety in the near future and work with our members who produce organic chicken to provide comments to the agency, as necessary.”
AMS is proposing to measure stocking density using weight (i.e., maximum pounds per square foot) to compensate for different-sized avian species and breeds. This allows AMS to establish one maximum stocking rate that can be applied to all poultry raised, including chicken and quail for example, and avoids setting separate stocking rates for each type of bird or breed.
The proposed indoor stocking densities for layers allow a maximum of 3.0 – 4.5 pounds of hen per square foot of indoor space depending on the housing type. The levels AMS is proposing are consistent with standards established by third-party animal welfare certification programs (such as Certified Humane and American Humane Certified) and their scientific committees.
Outdoor space for poultry is a maximum of 2.25 pounds of hen per square foot for layers; 5.0 pounds of hen per square foot for broilers. The outdoor areas will need to have at least 50 percent soil. In addition, porches (screened, roofed areas attached to the poultry house) will not count as outdoor space. Therefore, some operations may need to access additional land in order to comply with this outdoor space requirement.
For indoor requirements, AMS considered the NOSB recommendations regarding the indoor space requirements as well as animal welfare certification programs developed by scientific committees.1 These animal welfare certification standards varied from a minimum of 1.0 square feet per bird in aviaries and pasture systems to 1.8 square feet per hen with no more than 500 hens per barn. In addition, AMS obtained comments from various producer, certifying agent, and trade groups. Producers in colder climates stated that maintaining a warm indoor temperature during the winter is much more difficult with a 2.0 square foot minimum requirement for indoor space. Producers with aviaries cited the scientific committees’ findings that aviaries provided enhanced welfare due to birds being able to utilize vertical space to engage in natural behaviors. Producers with slatted/mesh floors cited the reduced welfare concerns from lameness by keeping the litter drier.
Statistics cited within the proposed rule currently estimate annual organic broiler production to be approximately 16 million birds with an average live weight of 5.84 pounds at market age. USDA additionally quotes a value of $39 billion for the entire organic market in the United States in 2014. The proposed rule will have a comment period of 60 days after publication to the Federal Register, with a high volume of comments expected.
A “Question and Answer” with more information about the proposed rule is available here, and the complete proposed rule is available here.
