Posted: 01.28.2011

Organic activists are pushing federal
regulators to revise rules on how the hens that lay organic eggs
should be treated.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's current rules require
organic livestock to spend time outdoors where they can engage in
what the agency calls ``natural behavior.'' The rules don't specify
how much space the animals should have or what it should be like.
Some organic farmers give their hens time to scratch and peck in
pastures. But on many big farms, the hens spend their time in the
fresh air on concrete patios and in other enclosures.

Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute says that's not what
consumers have in mind when they buy organic eggs.

A USDA spokeswoman says it has not yet decided whether to take
up the matter.

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