Were you worried when the news broke about the egg recall? I checked the brand I bought, but I was pretty sure there wasn’t any organic eggs on the list. Sure enough, the infected chickens were living in a typical factory farm in tiny cages. Since organic chickens are able to roam free and are given safer conditions to live, they are less likely to get diseases like salmonella. Sure, organic eggs are more expensive, but to me, the benefits make it worth it. I don’t have to worry when these outbreaks happen, and the organic eggs taste better too.
I realize not everyone can afford organic eggs (especially those with large families), but if you can, choosing organic helps increase demand and the prices will eventually come down. Plus, keeping your family out of the hospital is one way to cut your costs. Cheap food often costs you more down the road. Check out this great article from David Kirby on the Huffington Post.
Just a few thoughts. What do you think? Do you buy organic eggs? Why or why not?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I did not know that organic eggs were necessarily cage free as well. Is that an organic standard for eggs that has to be met for certification? I have been purchasing cage free conventional eggs for some time now and usually buy a brand in Walmart that is not their store brand because the store brand for cage free uses styro containers and I don’t like to encourage that packaging decision. This evening I was disturbed to see that the Walmart cage free eggs were not there in their place as I grabbed my preferred brand. I am concerned that possibly they have been recalled which would indicate to me that possibly they were not cage free, though I realize that the salmonella could come from the feed and it wouldn’t necessarily matter if they were in a cage.
But on another note regarding your article: I used to work for an organic food manufacturer and the true benefit in this situation is that standards and record-keeping are tighter in the organic certification world than they are in the conventional world. I don’t have any research to back up my theory, but I believe those organic organizations that honestly care are going to deliver a safer product than your typical conventional competitor.
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Hi Pat, yes, organic eggs come from chickens who must have access to the outdoors and a cage-free environment.
Hi Laurel,
I work for a family-owned organic egg farm, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs (http://www.peteandgerrys.com). Our hens are cage free and free range in addition to being 100% certified organic.
To keep their flocks healthy, organic farmers must be very careful about cleanliness. Since we can’t give our hens antibiotics, we must maintain a clean environment. One sick hen could infect an entire flock.
We have found that healthy, happy hens produce more eggs. So organic, humane farming is also a better business model in spite of higher costs.
Since there are millions of people who can’t raise their own eggs, there is a real opportunity for commercial egg farms to offer wholesome, organic, humanely-raised eggs to consumers.