A bipartisan group of members of the House have requested USDA to expedite a review of the Perdue Farms petition filed in March 2023 regarding the definition of “free-range” and “pasture-raised” claims. At issue is whether the eventual definition will favor specific production systems and operators of farms or even result in unintended consequences.
A small-scale producer in Vermont noted that broilers “range outside houses in the morning and evening but are not naturally adventurous and will not explore very far beyond their shelters.” This observation is common to free-range egg 
production flocks allowed access to pasture where they remain in proximity to their houses, cluster and demonstrate fear of predation.
It is generally accepted by both large and small-scale producers that clear definitions are required to obviate consumer confusion. Once standards are adopted, it will be necessary to ensure that label claims are consistent with actual production systems used.