USDA has announced a proposed rule that would amend organic
livestock and poultry production requirements, such as livestock
handling and transport for slaughter, and avian living conditions.
The rule would also expand and clarify livestock health care
practices. Among other proposals, the rule intends to clarify how
producers and handlers must treat livestock and poultry to ensure
their health and well-being. For instance, the proposed rule
prohibits castrating chicken, turkeys, pheasants, and other avian
species, or de-beaking or beak-trimming them (which means removing
the bird's beak tip, or the curved tip of the beak, to prevent
it from pecking other birds). The rule also proposes minimum indoor
and outdoor space requirements, which will determine the allowed
stocking density of birds in the farms, and requirements such as
having at least 50 percent of the outdoor space in soil, which may
be used by birds for dust-bathing. In a market quantified by the
Agency to be at $39 billion and growing, USDA aims to protect the
value of the USDA Organic Seal to consumers, ensure consistency and
consumer transparency, and facilitate the level of enforcement of
organic livestock and poultry standards. Agricultural Marketing
Service's ("AMS") Administrator Elanor Starmer stated
in early April 2016 that "this proposal sets clear standards for organic
animals, providing clarity to organic operations and certifying
agents, and establishing a level playing field for all
producers."
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
