| Comparing intensive caged hen eggs with organic free range eggs is not really helpful, compare free range eggs between conventional and organic instead if you want to make a point, since there are no organic caged hen eggs to compare with, or compare conventional eggs between caged hens and free range. Not sure what is wrong with offering the consumer a wide choice of options, even if I think $5 a dozen is overpriced for most organic eggs. But as others said, as for any farm product, the retail price is more of a marketing or financial thing (think commodities traded across all countries at the same price) than related to the costs of production.
This high price occurs only in rich countries, so the "world" would not be starving because of it. In most of the developing world, vegetable and animal farming is very close to the organic charts anyway, and not more expensive for that. Even $1.50 a dozen is probably unaffordable in these countries...
Most organic eggs come from "factory" farms where hens have access to the outside, but they don't necessarily spend much time outdoors, and it may just be concrete for all we know, no law requires a green pasture for the free range or organic label. In addition to the National Organic Standards Board, each producer and state define their own criteria for organic egg production, so it's really hard to compare anything. I don't know if it's still the case, but prior to the NOSB 2010 proposal, there could even be organic caged hen eggs. In any case, organic hens may be healthier if their living conditions are better, but I doubt they'll be more productive and lay 2 eggs a day, their maximal ovula cycle in artificial conditions is 23-25 hours, and depends on other factors too, like the age of the hen. USDA NOP program: What About Other Labels? There are other voluntary labels for livestock products, such as meat and eggs. Animal raising claims must be truthful and not misleading. USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service verifies the truthfulness of these claims:
Free-range. This label indicates that the flock was provided shelter in a building, room, or area with unlimited access to food, fresh water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle. The outdoor area may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material. This label is regulated by the USDA.
Cage-free. This label indicates that the flock was able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.
Natural. As required by USDA, meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as “natural” must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. However, the natural label does not include any standards regarding farm practices and only applies to processing of meat and egg products. There are no standards or regulations for the labeling of natural food products if they do not contain meat or eggs.
Grass-fed. Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life, while organic animals’ pasture diet may be supplemented with grain. Also USDA regulated, the grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. Meat products may be labeled as grass-fed organic.
Pasture-raised. Due to the number of variables involved in pasture-raised agricultural systems, the USDA has not developed a federal definition for pasture-raised products. |
Organic eggs at Hyvee 4.99/dozen and store brand 1.55/dozen
