SAN ANTONIO – The term "free range" may bring to mind images of grassy hills, possibly some idyllic guitar music in the background.
By USDA standards, though, all it means is chickens have been allowed access to the outdoors.
A lot of conditions fit that definition, said Kevin Ellis, a poultry specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology.
"That can mean anything from a small run or a concrete floored patio outside of a large building or even a small what they call 'sunroom,' where it's just chicken wire that goes outdoors but doesn't necessarily touch the ground," Ellis said.
Ellis believes a perception of better animal welfare is behind the appeal of "free range." That label can mean higher prices at the grocery store.
"From what I've seen, I think chicken itself -- marketed as free range if you bought it at the grocery store -- for meat chickens or broilers, it'd probably be about $1, $1.50 more I think is about the average," Ellis said. "But usually for eggs in that area, they're about a $1.50 (or) $2 mark-up as well."
Not everything you might think of as free range is labeled that way, either.
At Parker Creek Ranch in D'Hanis, Travis Krause's birds spend their days roaming free on the pasture. The "layers" spend their days around two "egg-mobiles," and the meat birds around tents. Nothing but fields surround them.
Krause says he wants more transparency in the products' labeling. To distinguish his birds and eggs, which he sells to buying clubs, restaurants and at farmers markets, Krause uses an unregulated label, "pasture-raised poultry," instead of trying to get "free range" designation.
"And unfortunately, when people use 'free range' on their label -- large corporations in particular -- I think we're sort of being deceived by the term 'free range,'" Krause said.
Ellis said every operation is different.
"It's a very confusing gray area right now, but there are opportunities to get what you paid for in my opinion," Ellis said.
Krause and Ellis said the best way to ensure what you're getting is to call your local farmer and ask to visit their operation.