Incredible, Edible, Humane Eggs

I know a post is long overdue!  I plan to continue posting, but Locally Long Island is no longer my senior thesis project.  Instead, I'm researching urban environmental education and the resources available in New York City.  If you have any information, please let me know!  I'll be posting some environmental education programs for children on Long Island ASAP.


So back to the topic: humane eggs!  I was thrilled to find out that the Nest Fresh eggs I bought from Walbaums today were as cruelty-free as they advertised.  Because there are no regulations or labeling standards for terms like "cage-free," "free-range," and "humanely raised" for meat and animal products, many manufactures use the terms very loosely.  For example, "free-range" chickens have access to outdoors, but the frequency, quality, and availability of their outdoor time is not standardized.  Therefore, a small window or doorway could qualify a facility as "free-range," even if the majority of the chickens never go outside in their lifetimes.  There are also many cruel practices manufactures use to increase chicken growth and output, like starvation to induce egg production and beak-clipping to prevent chicken interaction and behavior.  Be sure to pay attention to labeling so you can avoid supporting these practices!

It's also important to note that the terms "organic," "all-natural," and "fair wage" are frequently misused, too.  Carefully check out the label's certification system (if there is any) on the web to ensure that the product supports its claims.  Usually there is a section that outlines the standards that must be met for a manufacturer to use their label.