Don’t be fooled by the clever packaging: Most of the eggs in your grocery store are produced on factory farms. The Cornucopia Institute’s most popular tool — the recently updated Organic Egg Scorecard — is the resource you need to successfully sidestep this industrial model.
The result of two years of rigorous investigation into the organic egg marketplace, Cornucopia’s online Organic Egg Scorecard rates more than 150 brands based on a high bar set by the most ethical organic farmers. A print version of the scorecard is currently being shared with co-ops and independent retailers throughout the country.
Organic eggs are an antidote to conventional egg production, where laying hens are often raised in cages to produce low-cost eggs in factory farms. Rising prices in the egg case underscore the importance of knowing what you’re paying for. The organic seal is the only label on the egg carton backed by federal regulation. These hens will never be caged, and the production system is free from toxic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, and genetic engineering.
But as demand for organic eggs rises, corporations are spending millions to cash in. The result is a supply chain of organic egg “farms” that meet the minimum requirements for organic certification while still using industrial practices.
Top-rated producers (4s and 5s on Cornucopia’s scorecard) go beyond organic certification requirements to give customers what they expect when they purchase organic products. The hens on these farms spend a significant amount of time in outdoor spaces and can forage for an enriched diet. Organic feed is often sourced locally and regenerative organic farming practices are more commonly used.
As a nonprofit watchdog, Cornucopia comprehensively tracks the organic marketplace, along with the policy that shapes it. Its tools help shoppers sort through confusing labels and marketing claims to make confident purchases and invest in a vital alternative to the conventional food system.
