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Help Stop Deceptive Labeling

Dear John,

What image comes to mind when you see "free range" or "pasture raised" on the label of a meat or poultry product? Cows contentedly grazing in an open field? Pigs basking in the sunshine? Chickens pecking at insects in the yard?

What you probably don't think of is animals housed indoors, with only occasional access to a small barren lot. If that's true, you may be disappointed to learn that the USDA has recently moved to allow producers to use these claims, and similar claims like "free roaming" and "meadow raised," without requiring them to adhere to meaningful standards. Because of the USDA's lack of oversight, producers can call their products "free range" without providing any range, or "pasture raised" without providing any pasture.

AWI has investigated the USDA's label approval process for "free range" and "humanely raised" claims to determine if consumer expectations are being met. The investigations have revealed insufficient review by the department of these high-value animal-raising claims, allowing producers to mislead consumers and hurt farmers who actually do provide animals with better care. In fact, the USDA has approved a majority of such claims based solely on brief affidavits--or no supporting evidence whatsoever--from the producer. Moreover, the department allows producers to define these claims themselves, leading to confusion and inconsistency that harms consumers, higher-welfare farmers, and animals.

ACT NOW! ([link removed])

What You Can Do
The USDA is currently taking comments on the "free range" claim. Please tell the department that you expect food labels to be truthful and not deceptive or misleading. (Note: When you submit comments through AWI's website, your name and comments will be publicly viewable on the official comment page at Regulations.gov.) You may also submit your comments directly at [link removed] ([link removed]), where you may decline to provide contact information.

Also, be sure to share our "Dear Humanitarian" eAlert with family, friends and co-workers, and encourage them to submit comments as well.

Want to cut through the confusion and make better food choices? See AWI's recently updated "A Consumer's Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare ([link removed])."

Sincerely,

Cathy Liss
President

P.S. Follow us on Facebook ([link removed]), Twitter ([link removed]), and Instagram ([link removed]) for other important animal protection actions and news.

Photo by Brett Jordan

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Animal Welfare Institute
900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 337-2332 | www.awionline.org ([link removed])

The Animal Welfare Institute is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. We seek better treatment of animals everywhere: in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild.

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