Posted on March 11, 2010.
What is the difference between free range and organic poultry and eggs? Nothing, it's simply a scam to get your money.
They are related terms, but both are poorly regulated in the United States.
Free travel is supposed to mean that the chickens are free to move and access to the outside, but in practical terms, this means simply that they often live in a large warehouse with a door to an outside "run" with clay.
Laying hens organic eggs are supposed to be released (by the definition above) and be fed organic feed, without growth hormones or antibiotics.
If you want a real range eggs, a better label to look for is "grazing". You can often find eggs on pasture in local agricultural markets. pasture eggs are much more nutritious than those of chickens raised indoors, and less saturated fat and cholesterol.
More info about the health benefits: http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.ht ...
Sources of eggs on pasture:
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.apppa.org/
Free range - they let the chickens in the short wild in the fields of Thar.
Organic - they keep them locked up.
Free range means they are not caged, but does not mean they never go out side
Organic means that they have been formulated in accordance with regulations of USDA National Organic Program
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. organic chickens are never caged, allowed daily access to doors and pastures (as opposed to a dirt race), they are fed a Certified organic food without GMOs and antibiotics, beaks of hens are never cut (a practice endemic to trade) and several other differences.
The best eggs are pastured eggs, found that about farmers markets http://www.localharvest.org
