Chickens that are organic and free-range have been placed under quarantine. According to egg producers and industry organisations, egg-laying hens that ordinarily have access to the outdoors can no longer roam freely or feel the sun on their beaks because some US and European farmers temporarily confine flocks inside during severe outbreaks of bird flu.
The change comes as a shock to buyers who are already paying extra for eggs as a result of sick flock cullings. Consumers pay more for speciality eggs because they believe they come from chickens who are allowed to leave their barns.
As shoppers check their spending amid record global food inflation, U.S. watchdogs say stores and egg firms must do a better job notifying customers that hens are housed inside. According to government officials, keeping birds inside is the safest option for the time being because a single instance of bird flu results in the culling of entire flocks. Although the virus can infect humans, researchers say the risk is limited. According to Reuters’ checks of supermarket stores in France, where the government has temporarily compelled farmers to keep chickens indoors since November, some retailers are ignoring obligations to post clear information for consumers about the mandate. “I had no idea they had to stay inside,” Josephine Barit, 34, a customer in a small Paris business that had been evacuated, said.
“So it’s no longer ‘free range?'” she enquired. “I suppose there isn’t much else they can do because of the avian flu, but they might say that.”
Allowing chickens to spend time outside is regarded to be more compassionate, offering buyers peace of mind when purchasing items from animal farms. Because migrating birds spread the disease, veterinarians warn poultry with outdoor access are most prone to contracting bird flu, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza or HPAI. Contact with infectious wild birds, their feathers, or dung can make poultry sick.
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The US Department of Agriculture advises producers to confine poultry “as long as the HPAI outbreak continues,” but does not require it.
CUSTOMERS DISSATISFIED
With more than 35 million birds wiped out this year, the US outbreak is the second worst in history. In France’s worst-ever outbreak, approximately 16 million birds have been slaughtered, and diseases have now spread to the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.
Even when stores post signs informing customers of the shift, some consumers are displeased with European laws to confine chickens.
“At the end of the day, you’re still paying for ‘free range’ or organic eggs when the fowls have never seen the sky,” said Marc Dossem, 52, a shopper in a huge Paris supermarket.
Free-range laying hens can be kept indoors for up to 16 weeks before enterprises must provide client advisories, according to EU and British marketing guidelines.
Eggs from “free-range” chickens kept indoors had to be branded “barn eggs” for a time, but starting in May, farmers were allowed to let hens out again.
According to Mar Fernández, Spanish chairman of the Interprofessional Organisation of Eggs and Egg Products, hens must be housed indoors in particular risk and surveillance regions of the country. She claims they haven’t gone inside for more than 16 weeks.
“There are countries where free-range hen eggs aren’t available for months,” Fernández remarked. The agriculture department stated that the United States does not require organic egg producers to update labels when unanticipated occurrences such as avian flu disrupt production processes. In the United States, eggs branded “organic” and “free range” must come from chickens who have access to the outdoors.
THE SUNSHINE IS MISSED
Pete and Gerry’s, which claims to be the leading U.S. producer of organic, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs, is one of the providers currently limiting outdoor access. The company offers eggs in Kroger Co and Amazon.com Inc’s Whole Foods Market outlets.
“We’ll keep an eye on the exposure danger and get them back out in the sun as soon as possible,” said the team.
After outbreaks in Europe, Vital Farms Inc, a U.S. manufacturer of pasture-raised eggs, said it confined chickens. Both companies have posted information about the switch on their websites, but their “free-range” and “pasture raised” designations remain unchanged.
Whole Foods, Kroger, and Target Corp all declined to comment on whether they will post alerts for customers. “Consumers should get what they paid for, and they’re not getting the product as advertised,” said Danielle Melgar of the US Public Interest Research Group, a food advocate.
Despite the dangers, some European poultry breeders are defying instructions to confine their flocks.
“We let them out a little bit every day otherwise they will murder each other,” Emilie Ravalli, who operates an organic farm in Corcoue-sur-Logne, said.
However, hens do not always go outside every day, even when they are allowed to, according to Gregory Martin, a poultry expert at Penn State University.
“Containment keeps us safe,” Martin explained. “Since only live birds lay eggs, it’s in our best interests to keep our birds safe.”
