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# URGENT! Tell Congress: Stop Protecting Organic’s Rotten Eggs!
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/stop_protecting_organic_s_rotten_eggs_0518160402/
- Published: 2016-05-18T17:01:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:30:49.000Z
- Description: The Organic Consumers Association urges readers to tell Congress not to block the National Organic Program's proposed hen-housing rules. It cites a Cornucopia Institute report that some “organic” producers keep 150,000 to 200,000 hens in single buildings with little outdoor access.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Politics, #vivvo-import

## URGENT! Tell Congress: Stop Protecting Organic’s Rotten Eggs!

When it comes to eggs, USDA organic is the right choice. But unfortunately, not all organic eggs are created equal. Because not all organic egg producers play by the rules, especially when it comes to how they treat, and house, their hens.

The people who make the rules—the folks who run the National Organic Program (NOP), which operates under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—want to improve the lives of egg-laying hens and other animals.

But some members of Congress, including members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, are trying to block them.

[**TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to stop protecting organic’s rotten eggs! Let the National Organic Program finish its work to improve the lives of egg-laying hens and other animals.**](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=BQCBKelQq7rqf1RoiG5YZJa%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org)

According to a Cornucopia Institute [report](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=yDI7c8eEGR68KoAndkj7jpa%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org), “Scrambled Eggs: Separating Factory Farm Egg Production from Authentic Organic Agriculture,” some organic brands advertise their eggs as “pastured” even though their birds are housed in fixed buildings, with little or no access to the outdoors, much less fresh pastures.

Some organic egg producers raise as many as 150,000-200,000 “organic” hens in single buildings.

To deal with these faux-organic operations, which are really more like factory farms, the NOP crafted a [proposal](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=EI91O0Em4rNI%2FT%2BjztMV%2FZa%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org), intended to clarify existing rules for how organic egg-laying hens are housed, and add new, stronger requirements. Though the proposal isn’t [perfect](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vuQ8OZZc%2BpjqYDXqN1yME5a%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org), it’s at least a step in the right direction.

The deadline to make comments on the NOP's proposal is June 13\. But some members of Congress, including Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (R-Mich.), have [vowed](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=2n%2F0qNEAeiysdvyR4iuv1Za%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org) to defend the rotten eggs who are giving “organic” a bad name. They support a proposed amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill for fiscal 2017 which could kill the NOP proposal before the USDA even gets a chance to review the comments.

[**TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to stop protecting organic’s rotten eggs! Let the National Organic Program finish its work to improve the lives of egg-laying hens and other animals.**](http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=IsRyPVQRy05IkjkDKCmOgZa%2FtKkdzpGB&ref=foodconsumer.org)

Thank you!