Organic

If you want to sell organic food in the UK, you must be certified by an approved organic control body, such as the Soil Association. These bodies impose stricter welfare standards than conventional farming and require fewer antibiotics, which is a good thing, but very few animals are reared in this system. In the UK, just 0.3% of pigs are farmed organically, 1.5% of dairy cows, and 2.8% of poultry.¹

Having higher standards does not necessarily mean having high standards. While organically farmed animals must have access to outdoor ranges, investigations have shown that indoor conditions can still be crowded and filthy, with little enrichment. Male chicks in the organic egg industry are still killed in hatcheries because they cannot lay eggs. Organic animals are still transported long distances to slaughter and killed at a fraction of their natural lifespan. Organic pigs and chickens are gassed in the same horrific CO₂ gas chambers as non-organic animals, and organic cows still pass through industrial stun boxes and bleed lines.² Plus, organic animals produce as much waste as others, meaning air and water pollution outcomes are the same.

Like most accreditation schemes, organic standards are enforced through infrequent farm inspections which are typically planned, giving producers plenty of time to tidy up problem areas before inspectors arrive.³

Organic assurance certainly goes further than other accreditation schemes in terms of animal welfare. But that is not difficult when the bar is already so low.