USDA Just Redefined ‘Pasture-Raised’ — and It’s a Huge Deal

The next time you visit the grocery store to buy some chicken, take a good, long, hard look at the label. Does it say “pasture-raised?” Just know that the label may mean something different than it did in 2024. And that’s actually a great thing for consumers.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) quietly revised the definition of “pasture-raised” animals, following a petition from two companies: Pasturebird and Perdue Farms.

According to Meat+Poultry, the petition aimed to alter the definition of pasture-raised to indicate an animal that spent the “majority” of its life on pasture, defined as “land having rooted vegetative cover, grasses or plants.” The site further noted that this differs from “free-range,” which only mandates that an animal has access to outdoor space. 

“This ruling creates an opportunity at the national level to set pasture-raised animals apart from everything else,” Mike Badger, the executive director of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, shared in a statement. “[The] USDA is finally acknowledging the grassroots difference that pasture raised has meant for small, independent farms for more than 30 years.”

The updated definitions received widespread support from both industry insiders and the general public. According to FeedStuffs, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) received nearly 6,500 comments on the petition, with 96% in favor of establishing a new standard definition. Many commenters pointed out that this would help people understand the products they are purchasing more clearly. The petition underwent its waiting period and was officially approved in March 2025. 

“For more than seven years, we’ve been advocating for distinguishable standards between ‘pasture-raised’ and ‘free-range’,” Paul Greive, the founder of Pasturebird, shared in a statement. “The evolution of these important standards ensures that products with these raising practices will be accurately labeled, especially as consumer interest in pasture-raised chicken is on the rise. This is a victory for animal welfare, pastured poultry farmers, and consumers.”

Additionally, Pasturebird stated that both Certified Humane and Global Animal Partnership have updated their definitions of “pasture-raised” poultry to reflect the new guidelines, ensuring consistency across third-party certifications as well.

“Certified Humane has incorporated the new FSIS guidelines into our Broiler Standards. This will give producers the opportunity to follow these new regulations in tandem with the Certified Humane standard and thus have the USDA’s support for the use of our logo with the addition of a Pasture Raised claim on pack,” Mimi Stein, the executive director at Certified Humane, added. “We are aligned with this important update and look forward to supporting consumers through the confidence they have in products with our logo.”