ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information service operated by the National Centerfor Appropriate Technology under a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S.Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recommend or endorse products, companies,or individuals. ATTRA is headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas (P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR72702), with offices in Butte, Montana and Davis, California.

By Anne Fanatico and Holly BornNCAT Agriculture SpecialistsNovember 2002

Livestock Technical Note

Abstract: Pasture-raised poultry is increasingly popular in the U.S. American farmers and small companies canbenefit from studying the French Label Rouge program. Started as a grassroots movement and now commanding30% of the French poultry market, it has helped boost incomes for small farmers.

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Related publications available from ATTRASustainable Poultry: Production OverviewRange Poultry HousingOrganic Livestock Feed SuppliersLegal Issues for Small-Scale Poultry Processors (a Heifer International publication)Profitable Poultry: Raising Birds on Pasture (a Sustainable Agriculture Network publication)

Access to range is an essential part ofLabel Rouge production.

The Label Rouge program focuses onsuperior quality and gourmet taste.

Table of ContentsIntroduction ............................1Part I: Production ...................2Part II: Organization ...............7References .......................... 11�����������

Pasture-raised poultry is the leading product in a program in Francecalled Label Rouge. This program provides premium products to con-sumers, increases farmer income, and strengthens rural develop-ment. It consists of many regional producer-oriented alliances,called filieres, which produce and market their own branded prod-ucts under a common label. A third-party certification programensures that strict standards are being followed. Other countriesare beginning to take note of the Label Rouge program.

In the U.S., a grassroots“pastured poultry” move-ment has been growing since the early 1990s. Poultry raised onpasture are processed on-farm and direct marketed, creatingsupplemental income on small diversified family farms. SeeATTRA’s Sustainable Poultry: Production Overview for a descrip-tion. The French Label Rouge, which also started out as agrassroots program, provides an example of what is possiblewhen farmers, consumers, and organizations work together.

The following discussion of Label Rouge is divided into twosections:

Part I: ProductionPart II: Organization

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 2

Label Rouge began 40 years ago as a grassroots movement led by visionary farmers. As poultrybecame more industrialized after World War II, demand grew in France for the taste of traditionallyraised farm chickens. Label Rouge performance has been “stunning” and now accounts for 30% ofpoultry sales to the public, in spite of its high price—twice the price of conventional poultry (1).

The Label Rouge program focuses on high-quality products, mainly meat, with poultry as theflagship product. It emphasizes quality attributes such as taste and food safety, and free-range pro-duction practices. The average consumer can note a positive difference in taste between Label Rougepoultry and conventional poultry—in fact, regular taste-testing is a certification requirement to provethat these products are “vividly distinguishable” from conventional poultry.

The main reason for the superior taste is considered to be the use of slow-growing birds instead ofthe fast-growing birds used in the conventional industry. The slow-growing birds are from specialty“rustic” genetic stock and are harvested close to sexual maturity. The meat is flavorful and firm, butnot tough.

STANDARDS

Strict and comprehensive standards ensure quality. Below are the standards related to broilerproduction.

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Chart adapted from Francois Paybou, 2000. Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of Adopting FrenchLabel Rouge Poultry Systems to Illinois. Master’s Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2).

Genetics

Buildings

Maximum densityin building

Access and sizeof range

Feed

Other

Slaughter age

Min. dress weight

Sanitation period

Transport

Processing

Shelf life

Only certain genetics are allowed—slow-growing breeds suited for outdoor production.

Buildings are a maximum of 4304 sq. ft. No farm can have more than 4 buildings. Buildingsmust be at least 98 ft. from each other.

The maximum stocking density is 0.98 sq. ft. per bird. No more than 4400 birds are permit-ted in each building. Chickens require 2.2 lbs. of litter each.

All birds have access to the outdoors from 9 a.m. until dusk after 6 weeks of age, and mustbe outside for at least 42 days of grow-out. Range requirements are 22 sq. ft. per bird. About2 acres of land are needed per house. 1.2 ft. of pophole exits are required per 100 sq. ft. ofbuilding.

Feed rations must consist of at least 75% cereal and must be nonmedicated; starter rationscan be 50% cereal because of a higher soybean content. Rations cannot contain animalproducts, growth stimulants, or other additives. Fishmeal is not permitted. Synthetic aminoacids are allowed.

Although routine medications are not allowed, antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian are.Coccidiostats are permitted but must be withdrawn 5 days before slaughter. Vaccination isallowed. Beak and toe trimming are not.

Birds must be grown a minimum of 81 days.

2.2 lbs without giblets, minimum.

There is a minimum sanitation period of 21 days between flocks.

No more than 2 hours traveling time or 64 miles to processing plant.

Airchill.

Sold fresh within 9 days after slaughter.

Table 1: Label Rouge Standardsfor Broiler Production_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCE PAGE 3

Independent third-party certifying organiza-tions ensure that standards are being followed.Inspection occurs once per flock, twice per yearfor feedmills, monthly for processing plants, andtwice per year for hatcheries. Each visit includesbacteriology tests and process control inspections.There are five taste tests per year.

The standards are a baseline that many LabelRouge filieres surpass. For example, some groups:• Use dividers in the house to divide flocks into

smaller flocks• Require tree and bush plantings to integrate

the house into the coun-tryside as well as provideshade on pasture

• Use smaller, portablehouses

• Do not permit pesticideuse on the range

• Require grit and wholegrains to improve guthealth

• Maintain a constant ra-tion to keep the taste ofthe birds constant, notchanging it when otheringredients are less ex-pensiveBesides broilers, standards also exist for lay-

ers, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineafowl, and ca-pons. Layers require double yards (rested in ro-tation) since they are on the range longer thanbroilers. The standards are available (in French)at <http://www.agriculture.gouv.fr/alim/sign/labe/00noti-techLR.html>. There are also LabelRouge ham, sausage, eggs, rabbit, and cheeseproducts.

As is evident from this discussion of stan-dards, a certification program can permit muchbroader production claims than a mere defini-tion can. In addition, production claims can beverified by the consumer.

CASE STUDIES: LANDES FILIERE AND

LOUE FILIERE

The journey from a grassroots movement toan industry can be seen by studying two differ-ent filieres.

The Label Rouge movement began in the ‘60sin the Southwest of France, in the forested Landes

region. Landes poultry are still known for beingraised in a pine forest, using small portable hous-ing called “Marensines.”

The size of the buildings ranges from 16’ x16’ (270 sq. ft.) to 20’ x 33’ (645 sq. ft.). Olderhouses were built of wood; new ones are metal.In a dense forest, the smaller houses are used tofit between the trees. Litter is spread in thehouses, which are floorless. Brooding is done inthe houses with portable gas brooders. Part ofthe feed is kept outside to help train birds to goout.

The houses aremoved after everygrow-out (threetimes per year) andhave knobs wherewheels can be at-tached and towedby tractor. Thehouses are some-times placed besidecornfields so thatbirds can benefitfrom shade and for-age for insects. Of-ten, only three siteson the farm areused in rotation.

The sites have a water line or producers fill bar-rels, which feed water troughs, every couple ofdays.

You can read about the Landes filiere on theirwebsite <http://www.fermiers-landais.fr>.(There is an English-language option.)

The Landes filiere uses portable housing.

The Landes birds roam in a pine forest.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 4

Although Label Rouge production began in theLandes region, it was the Loue filiere that wasinstrumental in making it a viable industry. La-bel Rouge did not grow as an industry until theproduct became widely available at supermar-kets.

website is <http://www.loue.fr>. It is availablein French only but has many informative pictures.

It is not necessary to use stationary housingin order to build a national industry. U.S. pas-tured-poultry producers are keenly interested inpasture rotation and use portable houses; inadapting Label Rouge features, U.S. producers aremore likely to promote portable housing than sta-tionary housing. However, small specialty com-panies may adapt a stationary system. Produc-tion systems are an excellent way to differentiatebetween companies in the marketplace, as longas the basic standards are followed to marketunder a common label.

Label Rouge birds are usually produced ondiversified farms where they are integrated withother livestock and grain production. Bird ra-tions are supplemented with whole grains fromthe farm; litter from the house is spread on thefields. Poultry may bring in 50% of the farm in-come.

Although no fence is used in either the Loueor Landes filiere, the loss to predators is only 1%(the U.S., however, has more predator pressure).European Union (EU) definitions differentiatefenced and unfenced production systems:• Fenced: “raised in open air”• Unfenced: “raised in total freedom”

The Label Rouge program permits both. TheEuropean Union specification 1538-91 definesLabel Rouge as “traditional free-range poultry.”

See ATTRA’s Sustainable Poultry: ProductionOverview for a discussion of other range produc-tion systems.

GENETICS

Slow-growing birds arekey in Label Rouge produc-tion—birds grow to 5 lbs.in 12 weeks. In compari-son, the fast-growing broil-ers (Cornish cross) of theconventional industry reach 5 lbs. in 6–7 weeks.Not only does slow growth allow the organs,muscle, and bones to grow in harmony, it alsoresults in a more flavorful meat. The carcass isgenerally more elongated and has a smaller breastand larger legs than conventional carcasses. Inaddition, slower-growing breeds are more suitedto outdoor production than Cornish cross.

George Berbille invented the portable“Marensine” system 40 years ago and isconsidered the father of range poultry pro-duction in France. His farm is in the South-west in the Landes filiere. He is now eld-erly and has lost a leg to a combine but stillraises corn and poultry (50,000 birds peryear by himself). He has 20 small houses,which take two days to move with the helpof three people. (They are dismantled be-fore moving.) He also has an on-farmfeedmill and mixes feed daily for his use andfor sale.

Stationary houses and yards are common in Label Rougeproduction. This is a Loue farm.

Loue is now the largest filiere and representsthe typical production system used—a small fixedhouse and yard. The house has automated feed-ing and watering equipment, and chicks arebrooded in it. The house has several popholesthat allow access to the range. There are shadebushes planted in the yard as well as treeplantings. The yard immediately outside thehouse is dirt. Since specialty “rustic” geneticsare used, the birds forage well beyond the houseand have access to grassy pasture. Feed andwater are also provided outside. The Loue

Slow-growingbirds are used forgood flavor andmeat quality.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCE PAGE 5

In Europe the slow-growing genetics aremainly supplied by the poultry breeding compa-nies SASSO (3) and Hubbard-ISA (4). They donot sell the actual broiler chicks, but rather theparents; however, many pastured-poultry pro-ducers have hatching capability. SASSO’s typi-cal Label Rouge cross is T44N male x SA51 female(using a different male—the T44NI—results inwhite underfeathers inthe offspring). A typi-cal Hubbard-ISA crossis S77N male x JA57 fe-male. Broilers fromboth of these crosseswill have red feathers,yellow shanks, thinskin, and a naked neck.Other parents areavailable for broilerswith white feathers andskin, black feathers,barred, non-nakedneck, etc. or for fastergrowth.

At the time of thiswriting, SASSO andHubbard-ISA geneticsof this type are not available in the U.S. How-ever, a U.S. company called Rainbow BreedingCompany (5) is developing similar genetics andoffers Free Range (FR) Broiler parents. FR Broilerchicks (day-olds) are also available. Male chicksare regularly available; female chicks are avail-able only sometimes since they are used more inbreeding; females grow at 85% the rate of themales.

Medium-growing genetics are also of inter-est for U.S. pastured-poultry producers. Pro-ducer Tim Shell (6) is developing a broiler calledCornDel which is a Delaware/Cornish cross com-bination. Grow-out is 9 weeks. According toShell, the chicks can be used for parents if feed isrestricted so they will not get too fat. Availabil-ity is limited. Henry Noll (7) offers a Silver Crossthat grows to 5 lbs. in 9 weeks. Joe Cebe, Sr. (8)offers a Cebe Red and Cebe Black meat varietythat grows to 5 lbs. in 9–10 weeks.

Redbro is a Hubbard-ISA Shaver product thathappens to be available currently in the U.S. viaa Canadian company that imports parents fromFrance. It grows out in 9–10 weeks. JerrySrednicki (9) at a Connecticut hatchery ships day-old chicks.

There is interest in using standard heirloomchicken breeds for gourmet poultry production,but in general, heirloom breeds have not yet beenselected for commercial production and the car-cass will be very small at 12 weeks.

Turkeys are native to the Americas and thereare several slow-growingbreeds available. Theseare naturally-mating tur-keys and do not requireartificial insemination.Some have geographicalties to the regions inwhich they were devel-oped (e.g., the BourbonRed is from Kentucky andthe Narragansett is fromMassachusetts). MikeWalters Hatchery (10) of-fers eight heirloom turkeybreeds, some of whichhave been selected forcommercial production.

Developing morepoultry breeds with geographical ties could bean opportunity for small U.S. poultry breeders.

HEALTH

The use of slow-growing genetics and the low-density Label Rouge production system offer dis-tinct health advantages—ascites, leg problems,and sudden death are minimal, and birds havegood immunity. Mortality of conventional broil-ers in France is 6% during a 6-week grow-out; it

The Label Rouge carcass (left) is more elongated thanthe compact conventional carcass (right).

A black SASSO broiler with the “naked neck”characteristic.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 6

is half that for Label Rouge production (3%) evenduring a much longer grow-out (12 weeks) (11).

Since Label Rouge birds have a longer life,they have a different vaccination schedule thanconventional broilers. For example, in France,conventional broilers are not vaccinated forMarek’s Disease; Label Rouge broilers are vacci-nated. Label Rouge birds are generally vaccinatedfor coccidiosis and given dewormers in the feed.Probiotics are used; antibiotics can be used onlyif prescribed by a veterinarian. Regularbiosecurity on the farm is important—footbathsare used at the entryways to houses, and visitorsmust wear protective clothing.

Since France has a mild climate, birds areraised outdoors year-round. However, the meannumber of flocks per year is only 3.2 since thegrow-out is long and there is a long downtimerequired between flocks for proper sanitation andpasture rest.

FEEDING

A low-protein and low-calorie diet is usedfor slow-growing birds. Whereas typical fast-growing Cornish cross rations in the industrystart at 22% crudeprotein and finish at17% protein, LabelRouge rations start atonly 20% proteinand finish at 15%.According to JeffMattocks of Fertrell(12), pastured poultry producers in the U.S. of-ten use only one ration of 19% protein. A low-protein ration is used to slow down the rapidgrowth of Cornish Cross. This type of rationcould easily be used for slow-growing genetics.

All meat meal is banned from livestock feedin Europe. Even fishmeal is not permitted in La-bel Rouge production because it could be confusedwith meat meal. Only vegetable fat is permittedand no genetically engineered crops can be usedin feed.

Some feedmills in France are dedicated to theeradication of Salmonella in feed. At Landal, afeedmill in the Southwest that supplies feed tothe Landes company, entering trucks must bedisinfected, and high heat is used during millingto kill pathogens.

PROCESSING

Some processing plants exclusively processLabel Rouge products; for others, Label Rouge isonly a percentage of their work. There are sev-eral large automated Label Rouge plants (for ex-ample, Fermier Landes processes 200,000 birdsper week), as well assmall ones. Thereare many quality-control points dur-ing Label Rouge pro-cessing to ensure ahigh-quality car-cass. Processingplants in Francecool carcasses byair-chilling insteadof immersion-chill-ing. (In immersion-chilling, the car-casses soak up water.) A soft scald is used in-stead of the hard scald typical in the U.S. (Asoft scald uses a lower temperature for a longertime than a hard scald and keeps the skin in-tact.)

Although ready-to-cook products are themost common, a variety of dressing methods areused. In the eflilee style, the bird is evisceratedbut the crop, head, and feet are left intact. Cornfinishing is a part of this presentation—the cus-tomer should be able to feel whole grains still inthe crop. Birds dressed in this style are slaugh-tered and eviscerated manually.

Processing plants may also handle a varietyof species. For example, Fermier Landes pro-cesses chickens, guinea fowl, cockerels, and rab-bits, as well as capons and turkeys for Christ-mas. Although it is a large plant, they can puttogether small custom orders for butchers andother clients.

Low-protein and low-calorie diets are usedfor a slow rate of gain.

Butchershops sell specialized products, including thisLabel Rouge poultry with the feet still on.

Air-chilling is used instead ofimmersion-chilling in France.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCE PAGE 7

The key to theLabel Rouge systemis the supply chain.Grassroots pas-tured-poultry pro-ducers in the U.S.are largely indepen-dent and may beparticularly inter-ested in supplychain structure and

the benefits that coordination can offer.

SUPPLY CHAIN STRUCTURE

Filiere is a French term for a supply chainthat centers around a group of poultry produc-ers with upstream affiliates (breeding company,hatchery, feed mill) and downstream affiliates(processor, distributor, retailer). It is a highlycoordinated alliance, but not necessarily verti-cally integrated. While some filieres do own thehatchery, the feed mill, and/or the processingfacilities, they differ from conventional integra-tors.

quality group reviews the market prices—forboth the production inputs and the final prod-ucts—frequently, and adjusts the farmers’ mar-gin and the price to the consumer as needed.Risks and rewards are shared by all players inthe chain.

Each sector incurs costs from being part ofthe supply chain, including costs associated withcertification, such as time required to keeprecords. Each sector may also have to contrib-ute to a check-off that funds the group’s mar-keting and other activities. Thus each sectormust have some incentive to participate, andthe rewards must outweigh the costs.

There is no one model for filiere structure,and there is a lot of crossing-over within andamong the filieres in the Label Rouge system. Forexample, a processing plant may serve morethan one producer group; a breeding companymay sell breeding stock to all the filieres.

BENEFITS OF COORDINATION

A coordinated supply chain helps lower pro-duction costs by improving cost efficiencies (bulk

purchases, etc.) and coordinating thestages of production. It also allowscomplete traceability of the final prod-uct. The Label Rouge traceback sys-tem is so detailed that batches of birdscan be traced from the consumer totheir grandparents’ flocks. A code onthe package indicates the farm, theorigin of the chicks, the processing

plant, and so on. Wing-banded birds can evenbe traced individually.

Coordination permits quality controlthroughout the supply chain. If there are bro-ken wings in the picker, where did they comefrom—the picker or the farm? It helps cooper-ating growers produce a consistent product.

���� �� � ����������Coordination of thesupply chain offers anumber of benefits, in-cluding coordination ofthe stages of produc-tion, lower costs, abil-ity to reduce patho-gens throughout, andcomplete traceability.

Management association: Quality Group

Upstream(Hatchery,Feedmill)

Producer GroupDownstream(Processor,Distributor, Retail)

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Diagram 1. Filieres

The filiere is centered around a group of pro-ducers and associates called the “quality group,”which holds managerial responsibility for thefiliere. This body—not the processor, input sup-plier, or distributor—retains control of the brandand makes the pricing, marketing, and advertis-ing decisions. This allows for a balance of poweramong producers and other players in the sup-ply chain. Farmers earn more per bird from La-bel Rouge production than they do from being con-tract growers in the conventional poultry indus-try; however, conventional contract growers raisemore birds per year. Since farmers are repre-sented in the quality group, they have input intothe returns they get on their birds and the num-ber of flocks they raise.

Deciding on the margin that goes to the farmeris a crucial point for each supply chain. The filiere’s

On-farm record-keeping is important not only forcharting performance but also for traceability.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 8

A coordinated supply chain also providesan excellent opportunity for addressing foodsafety. In Label Rouge production, a pathogen-reduction or HACCP-type program is appliednot only at the processing level (as required inthe U.S.) but throughout the entire supply chain.For example, breeding flocks, hatcheries, feedmills, farms, processing plants, and transporta-tion are all monitored for Salmonella and otherpathogens. Label Rouge has an excellent foodsafety record—only 3% of Label Rouge carcassesare contaminated with Salmonella (1). Sales ofLabel Rouge products have risen in the wake ofseveral BSE or “mad cow” food scares, sinceconsumers are assured that no animal by-prod-ucts have been fed in the program.

Another benefit of coordination is that LabelRouge provides technical support and trouble-shooting assistance to producers, which is par-ticularly helpful for health issues such as a vacci-nation program and disease diagnosis.

There is not a lot of public research on LabelRouge production. Companies do research ontheir own farms or the farms of their producers,but they do not share the resulting information.

MARKETING

The Label Rouge filieres sell branded productsthat are strongly tied to regional areas and havetheir own images. For example, the Landes filieremarkets the image of chickens ranging free in thepine forests along the Atlantic coast. There maybe several regional brands competing in a super-market.

of the Label Rouge brands are names of Frenchcities or regions. Geographic restriction is im-portant to prevent large-scale copying, and brandownership keeps the brand names in the farm-ers’ hands.

Most Label Rouge products are sold whole butthe amount of cut-up is increasing. About 135million birds are produced each year, and 15 mil-lion are cut-up. Label Rouge also offers an or-ganic product.

In France, there is a concept of “terroir”—that taste comes from the earth. Certain regionsare associated with certain tastes. In fact, most

Label Rouge chicken is sold both whole and cut-up inthe supermarket.

ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

The Label Rouge system has strong organi-zational support both in the government andin the private sector. The French government iscommitted to strengthening rural development.Government agencies are responsible for settingand maintaining certification standards(CNLC), accrediting the certifiers (COFRAC),and protecting against label infringement(CERQUA). CERQUA protects Label Rougefrom being copied by store brands or privatelabels.

The Landes filiere markets poultry raised in pine forestsalong the Atlantic coast.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCE PAGE 9

To obtain a label, a filiere submits a cahier decharge to the CNLC. This is a very detailed busi-ness plan, or code of practice, that documentsthe production, processing, and monitoring pro-cess. It can take several months to get approval.

SYNALAF is an industry organization thatcollects a check-off from the sale of each bird toconduct national consumer-education campaignsabout the benefits of Label Rouge poultry.SYNALAF represents 38 filieres, which include6,000 farmers—about half the poultry growers inFrance. Public education is key to the high pre-miums paid for Label Rouge products (1).

Strong consumer organizations are involvedin the development of standards and certifica-tion. This results in standards that are respon-sive to consumer interests, such as a recent banon the use of genetically modified organisms(GMOs).

The Label Rouge system is complex but hasbuilt good working relationships — among pro-ducers, consumers, and government — that po-sition family farmers to be economically sustain-able. Label Rouge is farmer-created, consumer-driven, and government-supported (2).

Interest in labeling is growing in the U.S.,where Certified Organic is currently one of thebest-known labels. “Quality labels” like LabelRouge provide information to consumers on prod-uct attributes such as taste, health benefits, andnutrition, as well as on social issues such as sup-port of local farms. They can also provide infor-mation on ecologically sound production prac-tices and other factors related to sustainability.Please call ATTRA for further information on“eco-labeling” and organic certification.

LABEL ROUGE WORK IN THE U.S.The University of Illinois has a project to pro-

mote the production and marketing of gourmetchickens in Illinois (13). In 1999, graduate stu-dent Francois Paybou, working under the direc-tion of agricultural economics professor RandallWestgren, carried out technical and economic fea-sibility studies for adopting the Label Rouge sys-tem in Illinois (2). Although Paybou determinedfeasibility to be positive, he identified two keyelements that are lacking in the U.S.: an eco-nomical supply of French genetics, and air-chillprocessing plants. Another student, Amy Heady,did a market feasibility study to analyze con-sumer demand. She found that adoption of aLabel Rouge system was still premature and tooexpensive given the current retail market. Feasi-bility may be greater in the restaurant market,where Chicago chefs, at least, are willing to pay$1.50 to $2.00 per lb. (14).

Entrepreneur David Wilson started a LabelRouge-type business venture in the early ‘90s. Hebecame interested in Label Rouge by talking tochefs who wanted a premium bird. He importedspecialty genetics from France, calling them “LaBelle Rouge,” and contracted with growers inKentucky and North Carolina who had olderchicken houses on their farms. He followed La-bel Rouge requirements for flock size and den-sity; the total range space was usually a coupleof acres around the house. The broiler operationwas year-round, but the birds did not go out-doors when the temperature dropped below 40ºF,making a 90-day window in Kentucky in whichthe birds stayed indoors. During this time, stock-ing density was reduced and alfalfa was addedto the feed. Grow-out was 12 weeks. Birds wereshipped to an air-chill processing plant in Ken-tucky (no longer in operation). The meat wassold in Kentucky and North Carolina. Accord-ing to Paybou, the Wilson business failed becauseinvestors rather than a farmer group were in con-trol. They did not fully understand the system—the failure was not due to problems with the prod-uct or market.

More recently, the National Center for Ap-propriate Technology (NCAT) was funded by theUSDA Foreign Agriculture Service’s ScientificCooperative Research Program to travel to Franceto gather technical information about poultry pro-duced under Label Rouge, to disseminate the in-A Label Rouge product in the supermarket.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 10

formation, to develop French contacts, and fa-cilitate drafting of production standards. NCAToperates ATTRA, an information service for sus-tainable agriculture that reaches thousands offarmers, educators, and other agricultural pro-fessionals each year.

OTHER FRENCH LABELING PROGRAMS

Label Rouge is only one of four major labelingprograms in France. The other programs includeAppelation D’Origine Controlee (AOC), Organic, andCertificate of Conformity. All four complementeach other well.

The AppellationD’Orgine Controlee(AOC) label is probablythe best-known. Thisprogram reserves brandnames for a certain re-gion—for example,“champagne” refers to

sparkling wines produced in the Champagne re-gion of France. The product cannot legally bereproduced outside its region. Such labels aremost often used for wine and cheese products,but there is a poultry product called “poulet deBresse” that can be raised only in the Bresse re-gion. These birds are known for being finishedon milk. Please see the website <http://www.pouletbresse.com/> for more information.

The European Union actually recognizes twotypes of geographic protection of agriculturalproducts: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)and Protected Geographic Indication (PGI). ThePDO refers to the AOC label. PGI is less strictand refers to the Label Rouge system. The follow-ing website from the European Union discussesquality labels: <http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/foodqual/quali1_en.htm>.

The French Organic standards for poultry pro-duction are based on the European Union require-ments but are stricter. Grow-out is a long 99days. The Organic market in France is not aswell-developed as in the U.S. because of compe-tition from Label Rouge. Organic poultry prod-ucts cost four times as much as conventionalproducts, whereas Label Rouge products cost onlytwice as much. ATTRA can provide more infor-mation on organic poultry production.

The Certificate of Conformity program is aquality-control label that is relatively industry-

friendly. Medium-growth genetics are used. Afast-growing male is crossed with a slow-grow-ing Label Rouge female to obtain a 5-pound birdin 56 days. Natural feeding is required, but ac-cess to the outdoors is not. This program certi-fies the process used but does not have taste tests.

OPPORTUNITIES

Label Rouge-type poultry production is anopportunity well-suited to the grassroots pas-tured-poultry movement in the U.S., as well assmall specialty poultry companies. However,raising slow-growing broilers to 12 weeks costsmore than raising fast-growing broilers to 8weeks. Many grassroots pastured-poultry pro-ducers market directly to consumers on the farmor at farmers’ markets, and their customers maynot be willing to pay the higher price.

Small poultry companies or networks thatserve larger markets or specialty markets maymore readily find customers who are willing topay extra for a pasture-raised, gourmet-type bird.Coordinated networks could keep the productsat an affordable price by means of fine-tuned pro-duction systems and cost efficiencies. In France,consumers at all economic levels buy specialtypoultry; not just wealthy consumers. The futuredevelopment of a certification program will beimportant for consumer education, which will inturn help build demand.

Large companies may find a certification pro-gram similar to the “Certificate of Conformity”(see section on Other French Labeling Programs)to be a more attractive opportunity than LabelRouge. In Label Rouge-type production, the flocksize is limited to about 16,000 birds on one farm(in four small houses), and there are fewer flocksper year because of the long grow-out period.Label Rouge is designed for regional rather thannational markets.

The outdoor production systems used in La-bel Rouge are more adapted to small diversifiedfamily farms than to large companies. Allan Na-tion, editor of The Stockman Grass Farmer and aU.S. visionary in the field of sustainable agricul-ture, found during his European travels that itcan be a marketing advantage to family farmersto produce something that is “hard to produce”(15).

The major labelingprograms in Francecomplement eachother, reducing con-sumer confusion.

//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCE PAGE 11

1) Westgren, Randall E. 1999. Deliveringfood safety, food quality, and sustainableproduction practices: The Label RougePoultry System in France. AmericanJournal of Agricultural Economics.December. p. 1107–1111.

2) Paybou, Francois. 2000. Technical andEconomic Feasibility Study of AdoptingFrench Label Rouge Poultry Systems toIllinois. Master’s Thesis, University ofIllinois at Urbana-Champaign.

3) SASSORoute de Solferino40630 SabresFrance(33) 05 58 04 46 46(33) 05 58 04 46 47 faxinfocom@sasso.frhttp://www.sasso.fr

4) Hubbard-ISA, Americas3239 Satellite Blvd.Duluth, GA 30096678-638-3900678-638-3901 fax

Hubbard-ISA, Worldwide Operations119 Avenue Marechal de Saxe69427 Lyon Cedex 03France33 (0)472 61022033 (0)472 619255http://www.hubbard-isa.com

5) Rainbow Breeding Companyc/o Richard UdaleP.O. Box 911Gentry, AR 72734479-903-6373 cellcowboy_richard@yahoo.com

Or:

Danny Eiland(Alabama)205-389-3466dceiland@hiwaay.net

FR Broiler parents sell for $8.00 each. Theoffspring are $0.25-$1.00 each, depending onthe number ordered.

6) Tim Shell407 Mt. Solon Rd.Mt. Solon, VA 22843-9718540-885-4965tshell@firstva.com

The CornDel chicks sell for $0.95/ea., straightrun, plus shipping, in lots of 100 and areshipped on Tuesdays via Priority Mail forarrival on Thurs.

7) Noll’s Poultry FarmKleinfeltersville, PA 17039717-949-3560717-949-3722 fax

8) Cebe FarmsP.O. Box 1404Ramona, CA 92065760-789-8221.Joe Cebe, Sr.

Straight-run chicks cost $0.55 each.

9) Yankee Chicks, Inc./Hall BrothersHatcheryP.O. Box 1026Norwich, CT 06360860-886-2421860-889-6351 fax860-608-1389 cellContact: Jerry Srednicki

Straight-run chicks cost $0.65 each. Malesmore commonly available.

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//LABEL ROUGE: PASTURE-BASED POULTRY PRODUCTION IN FRANCEPAGE 12

10) Mike WaltersWalters HatcheryRt. 3, Box 1490Stilwell, OK 74960918-778-3535turkeylink@intellex.comhttp://www.historicalturkeys.com

11) Jean-Michel Faure, 2002. INRA, Nouzilly,France, personal communication.

12) Jeff MattocksFertrell Co.P.O. Box 265Bainbridge, PA 17502717-367-1566800-347-1566jeff@fertrell.com

13) Illinois Gourmet Chicken ProjectUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign326 Mumford Hall1301 West Gregory Dr.Urbana, IL 61801Contacts: Randall Westgren,r-westg@uiuc.edu, 217-333-3686

Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant,Cvnghgrn@uiuc.edu, 217-968-5512http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/labelrouge/index.html

The electronic version of Label Rouge:Pasture-Based Poultry Production inFrance is located at:HTMLhttp: / /www.attra.ncat.org/at t ra-pub/labelrouge.htmlPDFhttp://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/labelrouge.pdf

By Anne Fanatico and Holly BornNCAT Agriculture Specialists

Edited by Richard EarlesFormatted by Gail Hardy

November 2002

14) Heady, Amy. 1999. Market Feasibility forLabel Rouge-Type Poultry in Illinois.Master’s Thesis. University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign.

15) Nation, Allan. 2001. Forget wine, theFrench say the money is in specialtycheese. The Stockman Grass Farmer.June. p. 1, 6–10.

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