One aspect of organic food that is often misconstrued or not fully understood, is the term of organic itself. This is especially true for certain product areas, such as meat, with organic chicken being a prime example.
In this article, we explore what it actually means to be organic chicken, along with the benefits that it provides.
Raised without antibiotics
A fundamental principle behind organic chicken, is that the animal is raised without any antibiotics. This also includes supplements, such as minerals and vitamins, which would otherwise likely be used on the chickens.
As an increasing number of people are concerned with unnatural or untested products being used for the production of their food, organic chicken supplies a certified way of knowing that nothing unnatural was added.
Fed only certified organic feed
Another fundamental part of being a certified organic chicken, is that the animal is only fed certified organic feed.
The certified organic feed may not contain any type of animal or animal by-products, or genetically modified or engineered grains. Additionally, the organic feed can’t be raised using chemical fertilizers or persistent pesticides.
Free range
The last of the three main concepts behind the organic chicken term, is that it must be free range, which is one of the major factors why so many are switching to organic chicken.
Whether it is the potential health problems of eating a caged and distressed chicken, or whether it’s for the animal welfare itself, free range is a considerable draw for people who choose organic chicken.
Canadian General Standards Board
All of the terms above are laid out as part of the Canadian General Standards Board, with provincial organic certification boards helping to define the term organic in their area. As a result, there are often small differences between provinces, which is worth noting.
In summary
If you would rather eat free range chickens that aren’t raised with antibiotics, and that only consume certified organic feed, choosing an organic chicken will allow you to do just that.
