Clair Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 There have been several posts about how to tell if a chicken is free-range or not and I am aware that in the current financial crunch, the cost to the wallet is foremost when we go shopping. With this in mind, a little knowledge enables us all to make a choice which can satisfy both the wallet and the conscience. Up to 87% of the egg production in France results from battery chickens.Every egg sold in France has to have a code to the type of condition the hens are kept in.There are 4 codes indicating 4 types of egg production:0 = free-range and organic1 = free-range2 = strictly indoors, on the ground, no cage3 = kept in cages = batteryWhilst buying eggs coded 0 might be difficult to do, given the current financial situation, my new year resolution is not to buy eggs coded 3 (or 2 if I can afford it). Where do you find the code?on the egg itself or on the packagingit comes before the mention FR (indicating a French production):[IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q296/clair46/eggs-1.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Clair, that is so very clear and so very helpful.I normally look to see "élevées en plein air". I've now checked with the eggs I have and they are Code 1, so I shall be perfectly happy to buy from the same source again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suze01 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 My chicken's eggs fall in to category 1.I often have a surplus if anyone wants to buy some, you can come & see my happy chickens [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Forgot to ask, is there a similar code to look out for when it comes to meat?Not quite sure with the packaged stuff from the supermarket and I have yet to pluck up enough courage to buy meat from a butcher..............Yes, cowardly and unworthy (but also nervous about how much it will cost)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 We spent new year with friends who have just saved 6 battery hens from destruction, they are all very fit and well now, unlike when they arrived and produce really good eggs and my breakfast was very tasty.I agree with Lisleoise, Grow your own Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]is there a similar code to look out for when it comes to meat?[/quote]I have not looked into this for meat.As for chickens (discussed on earlier threads), the Label Rouge stamp is a guarantee of traditional production: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Thanks for the info about eggs, Clair. I was trying to find it, so that was perfect timing !There was a documentary on M6 a while back where they went round a market in Paris checking the eggs that were being sold as free range. Most of the eggs were in fact battery ones and the stall holders were.....well...not telling the truth. They all shrugged their shoulders and deniedall knowledge ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 [quote user="Callie"]Thanks for the info about eggs, Clair. I was trying to find it, so that was perfect timing !There was a documentary on M6 a while back where they went round a market in Paris checking the eggs that were being sold as free range. Most of the eggs were in fact battery ones and the stall holders were.....well...not telling the truth. They all shrugged their shoulders and denied all knowledge ![/quote]Which is why I stick to buying them from shops.Much of what is sold "en vrac" (loose) comes from battery production, whatever the seller might say.As do most eggs used in ready-made food products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="Clair"]Much of what is sold "en vrac" (loose) comes from battery production, whatever the seller might say.[/quote]Oh dear. Just checked the eggs, bought as usual from the local fruit & veg and 'portrayed' as free range.I just knew somehow what I'd find. 3's.Good info: you can't change the world overnight, but you can try by doing a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 It's about knowledge and making use of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Useful info, Clair. We have free range chickens but at the moment only 2 are laying. So I've been buying them from the supermarket, where they are supplied from a village near us. But I've just checked and they're stamped "3FR."They are very fresh though. Will now look for some "1FR"s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="Clair"]Every egg sold in France has to have a code to the type of condition the hens are kept in.There are 4 codes indicating 4 types of egg production:0 = free-range and organic1 = free-range2 = strictly indoors, on the ground, no cage3 = kept in cages = battery[/quote]B****r; some of my eggs, bought as free-range, farm eggs from our local market, have a 3 FR on them. And the others have nothing on them at all; help!!Thank you so much Clair for such useful info; if I can pluck up the courage I shall ask madame about her farm-fresh, free-range 3FR eggs next Thursday. If I chicken out (oh dear!) at least I shall know what to look for.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Quite so. I'm told it's common practice for producers to pass off battery eggs as free range, they often bulk-buy eggs at market and sell them on at a large profit. There's no reason to suppose that the same thing doesn't happen with meat and other produce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Well it would appear that not every egg sold in France carries a code, the ones I buy direct from a farmer certainly dont, how could they as I dont think thay have electricity yet on the farm!Who is going to enforce this ruling (I think that I know the answer to that) if the market traders that were caught just shrugged their shoulders it says it all, and what is to stop someone printing the wrong code? - by accident of course, actually from the above replies there doesnt seem anything to be gained from this.That said perhaps the large supermarkets and processing factories are controlled or do take heed of "the law". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I should have said so on the original post: feel free to copy my OP and paste it if you want to share this info with members of other forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="J.R.gone native"]Well it would appear that not every egg sold in France carries a code, the ones I buy direct from a farmer certainly dont, how could they as I dont think thay have electricity yet on the farm!Who is going to enforce this ruling (I think that I know the answer to that) if the market traders that were caught just shrugged their shoulders it says it all, and what is to stop someone printing the wrong code? - by accident of course, actually from the above replies there doesnt seem anything to be gained from this.That said perhaps the large supermarkets and processing factories are controlled or do take heed of "the law".[/quote]J.R.As well as the production code, every egg sold must carry a unique producer code for traceability. This is not a new ruling, this came into force on 1st Jan. 2004.If you know how your farmers' eggs are produced, that's fine, but the reality of it is that if the eggs you buy do not have a code, they are not meant to be sold.An enticing-looking banner reading "œufs de ferme" or "oeufs frais" offers no guarantee. The production stamp does.As far as packaging is concerned, a description is compulsory and only three have a recognised meaning oeufs de poules élevées en plein air (= free range, 0 or 1)oeufs de poules élevées au sol (= indoors, 2)oeufs de poules élevées en cage (= battery, 3)When you buy your eggs, make an informed choice, whatever that choice is. If you want free-range eggs but the stamp says 3, walk away and buy elsewhere.It's not about enforcement, it's about shopping with knowledge.[IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q296/clair46/oeufs.jpg[/IMG]EDIT: if anyone wants to be more militant, start with this site: http://www.oeufs.org/You can get leaflets and buy T-shirts and key rings too! [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I think I could get quite militant about this ! Next time I see someone selling '3' eggs as plein air, free range etc, I shall say very loudly (in French, of course!) "Where are your free range eggs? I can only see battery ones - the ones marked with a 3" !!!!!I am happy to pay the price for free range and I detest dishonest trading. I do tend to go for Label Rouge eggs and chicken - but then we don't eat chicken every day ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I sometimes buy eggs in the market which I assume aren't battery-produced, (but may be wrong.)But the point is they are only 2€ a dozen, whereas the 3FR ones in SuperU were 2.45€ a dozen. So does the price go up as the category number goes down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="Callie"]I think I could get quite militant about this ! Next time I see someone selling '3' eggs as plein air, free range etc, I shall say very loudly (in French, of course!) "Where are your free range eggs? I can only see battery ones - the ones marked with a 3" !!!!! I am happy to pay the price for free range and I detest dishonest trading. I do tend to go for Label Rouge eggs and chicken - but then we don't eat chicken every day ![/quote]There's my girl! In fact, if you give me the French words, I will learn them by heart and then I'll say it too!Right, so now I know about eggs and I did know about chickens since Clair explained it on the forum some months back.But, how do you tell with beef, lamb, pork, pintade or indeed any of the other meats?BTW, don't eat foi gras or veal but would like to know about the others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Choose meats with the Label Rouge stamp. It can be found on veal, foie gras, beef,eggs, poultry, pork and fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Perhaps one of the chicken experts can help here ...My son got some ex battery hens which he kept in 5 star luxury and had plenty of eggs from them ...He was delighted to see them grow feathers back and having free run of the garden they looked fine ....They one by one developed illness and died the vet told him the chickens from battery farms are a breed that do not have the stamina to live outside he now has the black and white ones that apparently are tougher ....Is this correct ....not all breeds are suitable for an outdoor life ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I buy eggs from my 'volailleur' which have nothing at all stamped on them.Isn't this natural if they come from a small backyard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="NormanH"]I buy eggs from my 'volailleur' which have nothing at all stamped on them.Isn't this natural if they come from a small backyard?[/quote]See my earlier reply to J.R.'s post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]if you give me the French words, I will learn them by heart and then I'll say it too![/quote]It could go like this...Sweet 17: " Bonjour, vous avez des œufs de poule élévées en plein air?"Stall holder:" Oui, bien sûr! Tous nos œufs vienent de poule élévées en plein air!"S17: " Mais vos œufs sont marqués avec un 3! Ça veut dire qu"ils viennent de poules en cages, pas en plein air!!"SH:" Ah bon? Mais comment vous avez ça? Pourtant, ils m'ont dit que les poules étaient dehors! Vous les voulez?S17:" Sûrement pas! Je ne veux pas encourager cette production! Si vous n'avez pas d'œufs marqués 0 ou 1, je vais acheter ailleurs!"The End! [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Just looked at a UK egg with the red best before information stamped on and there is a number in front of the "UK" so I assume the same codes apply in the UK and this is an EU wide system ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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