The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considering the proposed Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards to clarify and ensure consistent application of the USDA organic standards. Animal welfare groups argue that the updates have the potential to improve living conditions of the more than 186 million farm animals raised annually under the USDA’s National Organic Program.
The new standards, ruled on by 57 U.S. representatives and 20 U.S. senators., will restrict and define livestock health practices. These include prohibiting the debeaking and desnooding of birds and tail docking of cattle. The rules will also require perches for egg-laying hens and ban gestation crates for pregnant swine, to improve living conditions in indoor and outdoor spaces. Shelters will also need to provide sufficient room for ruminants, swine, and birds to lie down, stand up, and fully stretch their limbs and wings.
Gillian Lyons, Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Humane Society Legislative Fund tells Food Tank, “If finalized, the changes proposed in the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards rule will improve the lives of millions of animals raised in the organic program.”
According to Lyons, these proposed changes have the potential to improve the living conditions and overall health of animals raised under the program. Additionally, the steps this rule takes to establish animal welfare standards will positively impact public health by improving food safety but also by preventing potential epidemics and pandemics, Lyons explains.
Read more at:https://foodtank.com/news/2023/05/usda-organic-livestock-standards-set-to-improve-animal-welfare-and-public-health/