Pastured Poultry Means More than Free Range

I've known for a long time that "Cage Free" on a carton of eggs doesn't mean much. That "Cage Free" chickens have marginally better living quarters than the chickens whose eggs are sold without any fanfare at the grocery store. But I thought that "Free Range" meant something more, that it meant what it sounds like (chickens roaming outside for food) and so I've been shelling out the cash for years in support of that idea. Turns out that I was duped. "Free Range" means that there is a tiny bit of enclosed outdoor space for thousands of birds to compete for the opportunity to check out. They are still crowded. They are still indoors most of the time. They don't get to munch on bugs found in a pasture (the bugs that are full of the nutrients that make eggs such a great food source). And they still contribute to ill effects on the environment.

I learned today at http://lexiconofsustainability.com/ that "Pastured Poultry" is what I need to search out on my egg cartons. It's the latest in a series of efforts to define how food is raised so that consumers can rest assured that they are indeed getting what they pay for. "Pastured Poultry"--chickens who run around in a real pasture and eat bugs the way they're made to do. Cool. And totally worth the money.

And "Lexicon of Sustainability"--a wonderful project that I am just learning about that aims to give back to words their power. To make sure that consumers and farmers, and teachers, and policymakers speak a common language. So we understand the costs and the benefits of the food we put in our mouths. And so we can advocate more effectively to bring about the food system we so desperately need. Whether you're a foodie or a concerned parent, I hope you'll check out the website. I'm glad I did, it's inspiring!