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February 8, 2022

A Comprehensive Guide to Understand Labels on Egg Cartons

by Slow Down Company

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Picking ethically sourced eggs can be a real challenge when there’s dozens of labels with vague meanings. This is intentional. The intent of slapping the words “fresh” or “natural” on an egg carton is to conjure up a beautiful image of chickens frolicking on wide open pastures in consumers’ minds. This can be a reality, but in most cases it’s not.

Egg Ethics

When layer hens (and other birds) are truly happy and cared for, the relationship between farmer and hen is symbiotic. The hen is provided with a protected space to lay eggs, food & water security, shelter from extreme temperatures, sick treatment and safety from predators. This is something I never considered as a vegan. I viewed the relationship as one-sided because the farmer receives eggs and, eventually, a chicken meal for his family. It took me awhile to accept that there was more than this. In an ideal situation, chicken and human can benefit from each other’s existence.

Sadly this isn’t usually the case though. Most chickens in the U.S. don’t spend their lives on wide open fields with plenty of vegetation. And since not everyone has the option to raise their own chickens or go down to a small family farm, it’s critical that we have transparency from farmers.

Third Party Certifications

This is where third party certifications come into play. The purpose of third party certification programs is to set a standard for what is and isn’t permitted for the egg company so that the consumer has some transparency. You’ll find these labels on the outside of an egg carton, making shopping at any grocery store easier.

But third party certification isn’t EVERYTHING. A farm that isn’t third party certified doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an inhumane farm. In the same respect, a farmer that is American Humane Certified, for instance, may not trim the beaks of his chickens even though he is permitted to. This is why it’s important to know the conditions and welfare practices of your local farm. The guy up the road from me doesn’t have a third party certification, but I know he takes good care of his chickens and I can see them outside all day long.

Before we get to certifications, take note of these other labels you’ll likely find on the outside of the egg carton:

Non-GMO

Hens are fed a non-GMO diet.

Vegetarian

Hens are fed a diet free from animal byproducts (ie. ground up chicken). This doesn’t necessarily mean the hens are vegetarians. Ironically, chickens are not natural vegetarians. If given outdoor access, they are likely eating worms and insects, which are a natural part of a chicken’s diet.⁣

Natural

This has no real meaning. All eggs are natural.⁣ The “natural” label is only important when it comes to meat and poultry.

“Farm Fresh”

Mean absolutely nothing.

“Happy Hens”

Again, this means absolutely nothing.

No Added Hormones

Hormones are not allowed to be used on chickens in the U.S., so this is a given.

Antibiotic-free

Hens are not administered antibiotics unless administered by a vet. USDA organic eggs are antibiotic-free.

Organic

Only legit if USDA organic, which means hens are not in cages and have access to the outdoors, though there are no space requirements. Hens are fed an organic diet without conventional pesticides, fertilizers or antibiotics. Without the USDA label, there’s no way to know that the “organic” label is legitimate.

Cage Free

Hens are not kept in tiny cages. This does not mean they are given space to move or that they are granted outdoor access.⁣

Free Range

Hens must have outdoor access. Sounds nice, but it’s very vague and poorly regulated. A fenced outdoor space with no room to move can qualify as free range.⁣

Pasture Raised

Hens are given access to vegetation-covered outdoor space. The problem here again is there is no way of knowing how often hens get outdoor access and how much space they get. The only way you can truly know if your eggs come from pasture-raised hens is if it comes with a third party certification. If you can find this, THIS IS YOUR BEST OPTION. See below for third party certifications that have pasture-raised options. Vital Farms is Certified Humane Pasture-Raised, one of the best standards to be given.

*Note that I did not investigate added growth hormones because growth hormones are not permitted for use in chickens in the U.S., so this is a given for all egg companies.

Cage-freeBeak cutting prohibitedForced molting by withholding feed prohibitedUse of a natural light cycleHousing monitored for cleanlinessHens have outdoor access (6+ hours/day)Outdoor living vegetation requiredAntibiotic-free (unless treated by vet)OrganicHumane Slaughter StandardsFree to engage in natural behaviorsIndoor space given per henOutdoor space given per henFarm Compliance
(1st)
Animal Welfare Approved
AWA animal welfare approved
1. Dust baths
2. Scratch areas
3. Perches
4. Nest boxes
1.8 sq. ft.4 sq. ft.100% of standards must be met
(3rd best)
American Humane Certified (Pasture)
1. Dust baths
2. Scratch areas
3. Perches
4. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.108 sq. ft.Only 85% of standards must be met
American Humane Certified (Free Range)
1. Dust baths
2. Scratch areas
3. Perches
4. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.21.8 sq. ft.Only 85% of standards must be met
American Humane Certified (Cage Free)
1. Dust baths
2. Scratch areas
3. Perches
4. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.Not SpecifiedOnly 85% of standards must be met
(2nd best)
Certified Humane (Pasture Raised)
certified humane
1. Dust baths
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.108 sq. ft.100% of standards must be met
Certified Humane (Free Range)
certified humane
1. Dust baths
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.2 sq. ft.100% of standards must be met
Certified Humane (Standard)
certified humane
1. Dust baths
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1 – 1.5 sq. ft.Not Specified100% of standards must be met
Food Alliance Certified Level 4
food alliance certified
1. Scratch areas
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1.23 to 1.75 sq. ft.Not SpecifiedDepending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met
Food Alliance Certified Level 3
food alliance certified
1. Scratch areas
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1.23 to 1.75 sq. ft.Not SpecifiedDepending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met
Food Alliance Certified Level 2
food alliance certified
1. Scratch areas
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1 to 1.5 sq. ft.Not SpecifiedDepending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met
Food Alliance Certified Level 1
food alliance certified
1. Nest boxesNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedDepending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met
United Egg Producers Certified (Cage Free)
UEP certified
1. Scratch areas
2. Perches
3. Nest boxes
1 to 1.5 sq. ft.Not SpecifiedOnly 90% of standards must be met
United Egg Producers Certified (Standard)
UEP certified
Not Specified67 to 86 sq. in.Not SpecifiedOnly 90% of standards must be met

Concluding Remarks

Now that you’ve been given all the information, it’s up to you to decide where your ethics lie and what you feel comfortable buying. Here’s the top 3 certifications with the highest standards for laying hens:

  1. Animal Welfare Approved
  2. Certified Humane (Pasture-Raised)
  3. American Humane Certified (Pasture)

Note that it’s possible you get different results for the welfare of other animals (ie. pigs, cattle, etc.). I’ll be exploring this next!

References

Labels:

A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare (awionline.org)

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/04/06/eggstra-eggstra-learn-all-about-them

How to decode egg labels – Certified Humane

AWA:

Laying hens standards for the Animal Welfare Approved by AGW seal. (agreenerworld.org)

Certified Humane:

Layers (netdna-ssl.com)

Comprehensive Standards Comparison Chart – Certified Humane

Overview – Certified Humane

American Humane Certified:

Layers Cage Free Full Standards.pdf

Layers Free Range and Pasture Full Standards.pdf

Our Standards (humaneheartland.org)

United Egg Producers:

UEP Certified third party audits verify program compliance – United Egg Producers

CF-UEP-Guidelines_17-3.pdf (uepcertified.com)

Caged-UEP-Guidelines_17.pdf (uepcertified.com)

Food alliance:

http://foodalliance.org/livestock-producers/

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Bianca Soucy, Certified Health Coach

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Hey there! I’m Bianca. I have a passion for creating simple, yet nourishing meals with local and seasonally available ingredients. I’m always dreaming of a slow, easy-going lifestyle – one where a homecooked meal can bring us all together. You can learn more about me by clicking here.

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