Free range is NOT cage free. A farm need only put the same cages out side to be free range, isn't that lovely.

CAGE FREE is when they are what most of us think of as free range, given space to move around outside. This still means they could just be in a small pen outside but better than a tinny cage.

It is always much better to buy local. That just means with in a few hundred miles and is do able for most people. Ideally you can find farms that sell dirrectly to the public and vist and buy your food from them and so see how the animals are kept.

Then there are CSA's they buy from local farmers and deliver to you. This works great for a lot of people, they are most common for produce but some meat ones exist. you can find CSA's that specialize in organic and humanely raised or ask them what the farmer/ranchers practices are. the one's i've seen in the anual publication on buying local you pay a sort of membership fee and are sent your part of the harvests.

If all else fails there is the farmers market for some things and you can always ask around at the suppliers there about things you want but don't see.

http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml