It might have been just a misinformation, but I’ve read somewhere that according to some regulations, the requirements for your food to be considered “free ranging” are nowhere near sufficient. Like, you can have a building with (tens of) thousands of chickens, but as long as they have 5x5m of outside ranging space, they are considered free ranging.

If anyone knows more about this, I’d love to learn, but it was pretty eye opening. I wouldn’t be surprised if bullshit lobbying managed to secure “wins” like this, tbh.

EDIT: I was kind of wrong, it was a misinformation. I mean, unsurprisingly, aside from “free ranging” label in the US.

EU & UK

• Laying Hens: Max 2,500 hens per hectare outdoors (exactly 4 square meters / 43 sq ft per hen).
  • Source: European Commission Laying Hens Standards
• Meat Chickens: Minimum 1 square meter (10.7 sq ft) of outdoor space per chicken.
  • Source: UK GOV.UK Poultry Meat Marketing Standards

US

• Standard “Free Range”: Requires “outdoor access,” but specifies no minimum size or quality framework for the space.
  • Source: USDA FSIS Labeling Guideline
• USDA Organic (OLPS Rule): Strictly requires 3 sq ft per laying hen and 2 sq ft per meat chicken outdoors. At least 75% of that space must be actual soil/vegetation.
  • Source: USDA AMS Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards