[freeranger]

Yes, virtually all certifying bodies are credible but there have been some instances where businesses have set up their own organisations with names that sounds authoritative and used them to create an illusion that their products are independently certified. Doesn't happen a lot thank God but it does happen.

[Kitten]

We have lots of local gardners, particularly Amish farmers, who make it rather easy for me to have the best of both worlds without the chemicals or really horrible prices.

[freeranger]

Originally Posted by Kitten

We have lots of local gardners, particularly Amish farmers, who make it rather easy for me to have the best of both worlds without the chemicals or really horrible prices.

I've no doubt the Amish farmers are OK, but just because farmers are local and say they don't use chemicals doesn't mean that their produce is certified organic. Without a trail to show where the produce has come from and how it has been grown, consumers have no guarantee that they are buying what they think they are buying.

[justontime]

Originally Posted by mom2manyboyz

Justontime:
I'm not sure where you live, but in the US the legal requirement to call something free-ranged is only 1 hour of pasture time per day, making the label virtually meaningless. They only way to truly know something is free-ranged is to know the practices of the farmer.

Yes, we have much better regulation about the meaning of free range for both meat and eggs. It is not perfect by any means, but I find it scandalous that in US one hour of pasture time per day can be classed as free range. We have two layers of regulation EU and UK, and believe me the EU loves regulation! I buy from a local farm shop so I know exactly what conditions the hens live in. I also buy free range meat from a reputable source.

[mom2manyboyz]

Originally Posted by justontime

Yes, we have much better regulation about the meaning of free range for both meat and eggs. It is not perfect by any means, but I find it scandalous that in US one hour of pasture time per day can be classed as free range. We have two layers of regulation EU and UK, and believe me the EU loves regulation! I buy from a local farm shop so I know exactly what conditions the hens live in. I also buy free range meat from a reputable source.

I am curious to know what the requirements are for the free range label in the UK and Australia.

My biggest annoyance with misuse of the organic label is when a company puts the term organic in their brand name to mislead consumers.

I buy bison, beef and chicken in bulk. I usually get grass-fed, free-ranged and organic. I use my taste buds to determine the quality of the meat. I can usually tell by the quality of the meat and fat, grissle content.

[freeranger]

Originally Posted by mom2manyboyz

I am curious to know what the requirements are for the free range label in the UK and Australia.

In Australia the regulations are pretty slack but there is pressure for the definition of 'free range' to be improved. The only real requirement in legislation is that the hens must 'have access to' an outdoor area. That means that flocks can be any size and spend most of their time in a shed.
There are accreditation bodies such as the Free Range Farmers Associoation who require specific standards - such as not allowing birds to be de-beaked, limits on flock size and the amount of pasture available for each flock. But it's not mandatory for egg producers to abide by those standards (unless they are members of the Association)
So the only way anyone in Australia can be sure that they really are buying free range eggs is to look for the logo of the association on each carton.

[ammulu]

Originally Posted by Kitten

We have lots of local gardners, particularly Amish farmers, who make it rather easy for me to have the best of both worlds without the chemicals or really horrible prices.

Don't you think that Amish products would be a bit costly than any normal products? I have checked out some of the Amish products and they seem to be very costly.

[Green-Moo]

Originally Posted by mom2manyboyz

Yes, I agree with that. You have to look for the organic logo or certification. The term organic itself it often used to misrepresent items as organic when they are not. As far as the certifying body being reputable, I have only heard of one case that a certifying agency was not and I haven't researched that well.

There are many many small producers who cannot afford the fees required for organic certification but who use methods I couldn't fault.

[freeranger]

Originally Posted by Green-Moo

There are many many small producers who cannot afford the fees required for organic certification but who use methods I couldn't fault.

The difficulty with buying produce from a non-certified source is that the consumer has no guarantee that the product is as stated. Often people will say they don't use chemicals because that's what their customers want to hear. Also when they need extra produce because they have run out of their own crops, eggs or whatever, they simply buy it somewhere and pass it off as their own. The inspection and accreditation process protects consumers from those practices.

[mom2manyboyz]

Thank you freeranger. You are a wealth of great information. I like your website too. It's too bad you don't live near me, I'd buy your eggs.