http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/26/organic-factory-farms.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20160726Z1_NB&et_cid=DM112222&et_rid=1589338842

Even Organic Factory Farms Hate Transparency

Partial: SDA Proposed Rule on Organic Animal Welfare Falls Flat

In April 2016, the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a proposed rule to amend organic livestock and poultry practices to provide for the animals' welfare. As reported by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the changes proposed by the USDA include:2

Distinct welfare provisions are provided for mammalian and avian livestock	Outdoor access for poultry cannot have a solid roof overhead
Outdoor space requirements for poultry must be less than 2.25 pounds of hen per square foot of outdoor space	Outdoor space must have 50 percent soil cover
Indoor space requirements for poultry must be less than 2.25 pounds of hen per square foot of indoor space (allowances up to 4.5 pounds per square foot are made for pasture based and aviary style production systems)	Further clarity on justifications for confinement indoors for livestock and poultry
Further clarity on physical alterations that are allowed and prohibited	Proposed implementation timeline following the issuance of a final rule: one year for all new organic operations; three years for new livestock housing construction; five years for all certified operations to be in full compliance