San Jose Mercury News Op-Ed: "Organic sellout: USDA guts organic rules to protect mega-farms."

[proverbialwisdom]

7. Informative comment or maybe spin (since the 'big 5' are big on indoors), either way just plain sad.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/24/205230655/the-fda-doesnt-want-chickens-to-explore-the-great-outdoors

MacMc Science Geek • 4 months ago −

Not quite the Big Ag conspiracy that you think it is. The Salmonella Prevention Rule came about as a National Food Safety Initiative around 1997, during the Clinton presidency. The actual regulations did not take effect until 2009. The regulation was based on the assumption that all large producers kept hens inside, in cages and all did business the same way, which was pretty much close to the truth for the time period of the research. The regulation required strict monitoring and control of rodents, wild animals, and flies that could come in contact with the hens. In the meantime, a large organic boom happened. When the FDA started notifying the country's egg producers about the new regulations a number of organic producers spoke up and said "These regulations don't make sense". The FDA said "Why?". The organic producers said, "We throw the doors open and let our hens go outside". The FDA said "Huh? Why would you do that?" The organic producers said, "Because it is a USDA regulation for organic production". The FDA said, "We're going to have to check on this and get back to you". Now a few years later this is their proposal for Salmonella Prevention in organic (or otherwise outdoor) production systems.