Going Natural
Understanding what “natural” really means can make the difference in your family’s and your chicken’s health.
Understanding what natural really means.
“All-natural” chicken and eggs are produced without the routine use of antibiotics and the birds are treated humanely. Free of the stringent requirements of organic production, this is food you can still feel good about feeding your family, but what does “all natural” really mean?
Organic vs. All Natural
What distinguishes “all natural” from “certified organic” poultry products? Raising poultry organically isn’t just a matter of what you feed your birds. It involves your total system of flock management: what the birds eat; how they are housed; whether they can run around, scratch and bathe in the dirt and roost at night; and how they and their products are processed.
It requires strict adherence to certain standards and is subject to ongoing supervision and review. While admittedly costly and labor-intensive, the rewards for raising poultry organically go beyond the U.S. Department of Agriculture Certified Organic logo on your labels. Your birds live healthy lives, and you are compensated for farming in a way that is good for you, the consumer and the long-term sustainability of the land.
The demands of getting and maintaining organic certification, however, remain problematic for many small-scale growers, and organic food is still expensive. Growing and marketing food that can be designated as “all natural,” on the other hand, allows producers to address the most pressing concerns of discerning consumers at a cost most people can live with. Animals are treated humanely and are free of antibiotics and other additives.
Feeding All-Natural
Most chickens today consume commercial poultry rations formulated for different life stages and production needs. These scientifically balanced rations typically contain corn for energy, soybean meal to provide protein, and various vitamin and mineral supplements. They also often include additives, such as coccidiostats (to combat coccidiosis in immature birds), antibiotics and other chemicals to promote health and improve growth, and preservatives and mold inhibitors to maintain quality during storage.
A small, all-natural flock enables you to avoid the routine addition of antibiotics and other chemical additives to animal feed often used to compensate for unsanitary, crowded living conditions sometimes found in largescale poultry production facilities.
Because feeds carrying a USDA Organic certification contain only 100 percent certified-organic ingredients, they are expensive to produce. They also cannot contain animal byproducts, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, pesticidetreated grains, grains grown with commercial fertilizers or synthetic amino acids. Certifiedorganic commercial poultry rations cost about a third more than inorganic feed, and many growers can’t afford to buy them.
Many backyard poultry keepers have discovered an affordable compromise: “natural” commercial rations that, while not 100 percent organic, are antibiotic- and chemical-free. In response, several national feed companies now offer nonmedicated versions of their regular poultry rations.
The nationwide demand for these natural, nonmedicated feeds for large-scale poultry production, as well as backyard flocks, should continue to grow. Requiring fewer regulatory restrictions, natural feed is easier to formulate than certified-organic rations and consequently far less costly to produce.
Building Confidence
How can we develop new methods to evaluate and guarantee that poultry and other livestock are being raised in a humane manner and reward the conscientious producer?
Three organizations currently offer thirdparty, independent verification to certify that meat and eggs are from birds raised in a knowledgeable, humane and stress-free environment and managed in a way that maximizes their health and well-being:
American Humane Certified program
Animal Welfare Approved program
Certified Humane Raised and Handled program
Chickens are free to indulge in normal behavioral activities (such as dust bathing), live with ample shelter, have room to roam and scratch, have regular access to the outdoors and enjoy the company of other birds of the same species. Although similar to the USDA Certified Organic poultry standards, these programs only address the welfare of the animals.
All three programs require an application, followed by site visits by an independent inspector to evaluate the farm’s facilities and observe flock management. Once accepted, a certified producer may use the organization’s “certified humane” logo for labeling and marketing purposes. Annual reapplication and follow-up site visits are required.
Local Trumps Natural
But what about the local retailers whose suppliers are more apt to be area farmers and small-scale producers? How do they feel about all-natural versus certified-organic poultry meat and eggs? What preferences are reflected in the buying habits of their customers? Those I spoke to were very clear: They’d love to stock all-organic products, but in most cases, the price point is still too high. The retailers have found, however, that their customers are willing to spend a little extra for food that is antibioticfree and raised humanely.
Even more significantly, in almost every small-scale retail setting I visited, with both certified-organic and all-natural poultry products consistently available for purchase, it turns out that the most desirable meat and eggs are actually the local ones.
Whether customers are shopping at their local natural foods store or the weekly farmers market, it appears that local trumps all natural, and even certified-organic products for many discerning consumers today. Experts aren’t surprised; it’s what they have been saying all along: Whenever possible, establishing a direct connection with local farmers — even if it is through a trusted third-party small retailer — is still the best way to make sure your food is produced in a manner consistent with your own values and health concerns.
What it all boils down to, then, is that the controversies over the use or misuse of the label “all natural” are clearly secondary to consumer confidence that local meat and eggs are from smallscale farmers who care about their flocks.
A dedicated gardener for more than 25 years, Cynthia F. Amidon has also kept poultry, sheep and horses. She lives in a small town in New Hampshire.