Perdue Farms LLC’s petition to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), filed in March 2023, seeks to establish distinct definitions for “free range” and “pasture-raised” labels on meat and poultry products. Over the past year, the petition has garnered significant attention, receiving more comments than any other petition, with most supporting its adoption.
The petition also calls for FSIS to update its guidance on claims related to animal living and raising conditions to ensure they align with consumer expectations. The petition is currently under review by the FSIS Office of Policy and Program Development. The Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently weighed in, urging FSIS to undertake further work before moving forward with the petition. The OTA emphasised the need for greater clarity and consistency in the industry’s use of the terms “free range” and “pasture-raised,” pointing out the challenges and market confusion caused by insufficient or absent standards.
“OTA believes there exists a need for greater clarity and consistency in industry use and understanding by the consumer of the terms free-range and pasture-raised,” the association stated in its comments. “From our long history of advocating for continuous improvement of organic standards, OTA understands the importance of clear and consistent standards and the challenges a market faces in their insufficiency or absence.” The OTA highlighted its support for the USDA’s Organic Livestock Production Standards final rule, which codifies and standardises many practices already in place across the organic livestock sector. This rule aims to provide consumers with confidence that the USDA organic seal accurately represents the production practices on the farm.
As FSIS considers the Perdue Farms petition, the OTA recommends collaboration across USDA programs to ensure regulatory consistency and the inclusion of existing definitions, particularly those outlined in the USDA organic regulations. The OTA specifically references the established definition of “pasture” in the USDA organic regulations at 7 CFR Part 205.2 and the pasture practice standard at 7 CFR Part 205.240. “Such collaboration will ensure existing consumer expectations and understanding are upheld,” the OTA added. “Just as organic claims are backed by transparent auditing of production facilities, FSIS should work across USDA programs to back any definitions and claims with a similar auditing scheme to ensure consumers get what they pay for.”
The OTA also calls for broader opportunities for producers and consumers to comment on the petition, suggesting that an advanced notice of proposed rule-making could facilitate this dialogue. The association looks forward to engaging with its members to further inform the process. The Perdue Farms petition has drawn comments from various stakeholders, including Leaping Bear Farm, Primal Pastures, Walden Local Inc., A Greener World, Shady Grove Ranch, and five members of Congress in 2024. Last year’s commenters included Organic Valley, The Food Industry Association, Vital Farms, Warmth Farms, The Cornucopia Institute, Joe’s Farm, the American Grass-fed Association, Farm Forward, the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, Compassion in World Farming United Egg Association, and the Animal Welfare Institute. As the debate over labelling standards continues, the focus remains on ensuring that consumer expectations are met and that the industry operates with clear, consistent, and transparent.
