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Organic Poultry Feeds

In the UK, anything that is labelled organic must be certified by an approved organisation, such as the Soil Association.

Farmers and manufacturers are subject to annual inspections, plus spot checks. Farmers must build natural soil fertility through the growth of crops such as clover, which help put the goodness back in the soil. They do not rely on the use of chemicals or pesticides and must take measures to preserve the natural environment.

If it's labelled organic, is it 100% organic? Not quite. With manufactured feed, there may be instances where it is impossible to obtain certain organic ingredients - often protein or oil sources such as soya, linseed or maize, or vitamin and mineral sources such as yeast, limestone flour or salt - in sufficient quantities.

To accommodate this, the regulations permit manufacturers to include a small proportion of non-organic ingredients, and still label the product organic. However, with the continual growth in the choice of organic feedstuffs available, it's likely products will become closer to being 100% organic.

Will the eggs, meat or milk taste better? Many people answer a loud yes to this one. Organic meat tends to be grown more slowly, which is sometimes thought to make it richer in flavour.

Is it healthier? There is no conclusive proof that organic food is better for you, but tests have found that organic produce can contain more nutrients and fibre than non-organic equivalents. One study found that vegetables grown non-organically had lower mineral content in 1991 than in 1939, before the introduction of synthetic pesticides.