Pastured poultry producers want the egg label claim to be aligned with USDA standards for poultry.
A trade group representing pastured poultry producers is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify how the term “pasture-raised” may be used on egg cartons, arguing that current standards allow consumers to be misled.
The American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) is requesting that the FDA align egg labelling requirements for the “pasture-raised” claim with the existing definition used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) for poultry products.
APPPA advocates for the viability of ethical pastured poultry production that connects farmers, processors and consumers in mutually beneficial communities.
Clearly defined by the USDA
Following a document defining “pasture-raised”, which received more than 16,000 comments supporting a distinct “free pasture” designation, the USDA maintains a clear and enforceable standard for meat products of this type. However, since shell eggs fall under the FDA’s jurisdiction, those guidelines have not been applied to them — a regulatory gap that allows “pasture-raised” to also be used for “range” systems that only require outdoor access and do not require the presence of vegetation, generating consumer confusion and unfair competition for producers who genuinely raise their birds on real pasture.
“Most shoppers believe that pasture-raised birds spend their days outdoors on real pasture,” said Christian Alexandre, President of APPPA, but “right now, most eggs in supermarkets do not meet this expectation.”
Rather than seeking the creation of new regulations, APPPA is requesting the application of the existing and well-established USDA/FSIS definitions to egg labels — harmonising standards across agencies, improving transparency, ensuring accurate use of the “pasture-raised” claim, and building consumer trust across multiple product categories.
Greenwashing erodes consumer trust
Pastured poultry producers invest significant time and resources in pasture management, animal welfare and land stewardship. Without consistent standards, they struggle to differentiate their products from those of large operations that rely on marketing rather than transparent production practices. “When eggs produced on industrial farms with outdoor access are marketed using the same language and imagery as pasture-raised eggs, it undermines consumer trust and harms those who raise birds on real pasture. Clear and consistent labelling benefits everyone, helping consumers make informed decisions and ensuring that producers who do the right thing are not undercut by misleading claims,” said Ginger Shields, Executive Director of APPPA.
For more information:
-. Alternative poultry production systems
-. The American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA)
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