(From our friends in Indiana and Permaculture Activist

Well, the USDA is at it again. They want to define another useful
term in in a specific way and then require that farmers get their
permission to use it, just like they did with organic. This time
they're defining "naturally raised" for meat products.

This new label will cause confusion, and undercut the name
recognition we've worked so hard to build over the past five years
for Certified Naturally Grown. And their definition of "naturally
raised" is weak. It simply requires that the animals weren't treated
with antibiotics or hormones but it doesn't say anything about the
animals' living conditions or the feed they're given. Meat from
animals raised in confinement operations and given conventional feed
could qualify!

The "naturally raised" label, if adopted, will also undermine the
Certified Organic label. Whatever its flaws, participation in the
National Organic Program has been responsible for taking many
thousands of acres out of conventional agriculture. We don't want to
see that progress lost as big livestock producers opt for the easier
"naturally raised" marketing label instead of organic.

You can read the full text of the proposed standard here:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-23103.htm

Whether or not USDA adopts this standard depends on the feedback
they receive in the next two weeks.