Does organic food have to be free range?

Here's why:

* Organic certification focuses on production methods: Organic certification is about how food is grown or raised, not about the living conditions of animals. It prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, as well as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

* Free-range refers to animal welfare: Free-range specifically refers to the way animals are raised, typically meaning they have access to the outdoors. This is not a requirement for organic certification.

Therefore, you can have organic meat or eggs that are not free-range.

Here's an example:

* Organic chicken: An organic chicken can be raised indoors without access to the outdoors. It just has to be fed organic feed and not treated with antibiotics or hormones.

If you want to ensure free-range practices, look for specific labels such as "free-range" or "pasture-raised" in addition to the organic certification.