What does ‘free range’ mean? - Produce Awards

Jul 07, 2026

Well, it’s complicated. Here’s why it’s important for you, the consumer, to understand the differences.

When we picture free-range farm animals, often it’s a beautifully bucolic scene: chickens scratching about for bugs; pigs happily grunting as they root around in overflowing troughs, all set against rolling green pastures. But not all ‘free-range’ animal products come from such environments. Current free-range standards in Australia mean that conditions on free-range farms can vary greatly. Ultimately, it’s up to the farmer. We meet two who have taken the term ‘free range’ and really run with it.

Chooks at the Rooke – the PROOF is in the egg

Xavier Prime and Kimberley Burridge of Chooks at the Rooke in Victoria proudly produce pasture-raised free-range eggs. Their stocking density is 94 birds per hectare (see below for more on stocking densities).

“Pasture-raised means the birds are constantly moving over fresh grass and fresh soil, so they’re able to express their natural behaviours,” Prime says.

To provide shelter, the farm has mobile sheds, which move with the birds, while Maremma guardian dogs provide protection from predators. Fresh pasture gives the birds access to a variety of food sources, and their diet is supplemented with grain feed. Chooks at the Rooke is also PROOF (‘pasture-raised on open fields’) certified.

“It’s something that’s important to pasture-raised producers, because without it, you risk just being lumped into the ‘free-range’ category, which is not what we are,” Prime says. “I think it’s important to have a third party like PROOF to certify farms. Otherwise, there’s no accountability.”

Bundarra Farm – farming for good

Bundarra Farm in NSW is renowned for its incredible free-range Berkshire pork. Lauren Stevens has won numerous awards for it, and is now also following the same ethical farming practices to pasture-raise heritage Sommerlad chickens, for which she is finalist at the 2026 delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards.

“All our pigs are outdoor pigs,” Stevens says. “We have birthing paddocks for pregnant sows, where they can make their own nest. And then, after eight weeks, we put the piglets in another paddock. That’s where people can get confused, because they see ‘outdoor bred’ and think that means free range.” (See below for more on what ‘outdoor bred’ actually means.)

The Bundarra pigs live a delightful life, sleeping in the shade, or enjoying the mud wallows provided. Piglets run around and chase each other, burrow in the straw and even play with balls.

“They’re really intelligent,” Stevens says. “When you see a pig out in the paddock, doing its thing, it’s pretty amazing.”

Taste the difference

One of the country’s leading sustainable and ethical chefs, delicious. Harvey Norman Produce Awards National Judge Matt Stone says there’s a noticeable difference when you taste produce from animals that have been raised well.

“For instance, [pasture-raised] eggs are bigger, and the shells are harder,” he says. “The colour of the yolk is also deeper, and there’s more texture in the whites. This shows the diversity of food that the animals are eating – the greater the diversity of their diet, the more flavour and nutrients are in the egg.”

Stevens began farming free-range pigs because of the taste difference.

“I used to run a foodstore, “ she says. “And the pork we were getting was just so bad. So I started looking into how pigs are raised, and I realised that the environment they’re grown in has a huge influence on their flavour.”

For Prime, who also produces award-winning cockerels, he just knows that happy birds produce better food. “The more a bird can express its natural behaviours, the more you’ll see that flow through into the eggs and meat,” he says. “I think it’s as simple as that.”

Eggs in cartons — Check the stocking density on your egg carton.

What ‘free range’ means on food labels

Free-range eggs: Just because it says ‘free range’ on the carton, it doesn’t mean the eggs come from hens that have been living on wide green pastures. Free-range egg farms can vary greatly. All free-range egg cartons must display the farm’s outdoor stocking density on the label – a good place to start. The legal maximum is 10,000 hens per hectare. The CSIRO’s Model Code of Practice recommends a maximum of 1,500 hens per hectare.
Free-range chicken: Free-range meat chickens must have access to the outdoors during the day. Conditions on free-range chicken farms can also vary greatly. Some have lots of grass and shade and room to move, some do not.
Outdoor-bred pork: This means that while the pigs were born outdoors, they were only kept outside for the first few weeks, until they were weaned. They’re then moved inside to live in a barn for the rest of their life. Conditions can vary from large, open sheds to small pens with concrete floors.

What you can do

Read your labels, and do your research. Look for products that feature certification from organisations like PROOF and Australian Certified Organic. Chickens and pigs must be free to range if they’re to be certified organic. Shop at farmers’ markets, and get to know your local butcher. That way, you can ask questions about the produce you’re buying.