USDA Establishes a Definition for “Pasture-Raised"

The USDA has established a definition for “pasture-raised” animals in March 2025.

The ruling indicates that a pasture-raised animal must spend the majority of its life on pasture, which is defined as “land having rooted vegetative cover, grasses, or plants.”

This is different from “free-range” which only mandates that animals have access to outdoor space.

“Pasture-raised” and “free range” are no longer synonymous, and the true win is for you the consumer when you are deciphering and looking into your farmer’s growing practices. If your farmer is making certain claims, we encourage you to ask questions about how they raise their animals, and the best way to know is to see it. Reach out to your farmer and ask if you can schedule a farm visit - any good grower would be comfortable being transparent about their operations.

If you are interested in purchasing chicken directly from our farm, you can do so through our website. We have on farm pickup and weekly shipping to all states in the contiguous U.S.

What questions do you have about “pasture’-raised?”