They wouldn't produce like they do or grow and be healthy if we were abusing them in some way. Kathleen Merrigan, administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, stressed that her agency is not endorsing the program, just auditing its certifications. But marketing experts said that by supporting the process, USDA's move speaks volumes about what they believe consumers want. We have such an overabundance here that the consumer is now in control. It forbids the practice of starvation-induced molting, which is the natural process that restores a hen's ability to lay eggs.
Guidelines are also in place for how to stun broiler chickens before they are killed.
Cows must not be fed hormones, must have shade and sprinklers in hot environments and be able to walk around. They also must be kept in a relatively clean environrnent, said Marilyn Stull, a UC Davis extension veterinary specialist. And to be killed for meat, they must be healthy enough to walk off the farm. But, Clover-Stornetta's Benedetti insisted the labeling elevates their product above commodity level and gives small farmers, such as the ones who supply his company, a more profitable niche in which to operate. The Times Mirror Company 2000.