Steckler Grassfed
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Dale, IN |
| Products | Cheese |
| Website | stecklergrassfed.com |
| Market Area | IN, IL, Ky, MI |
| Total Score | 1080 |
Investigators have confirmed this is a family-scale brand, but they did not participate in our research. This means that partial scores have been given due to incomplete information.
This brand may be a good choice, but we recommend that consumers do their homework and reach out to brand representatives to ensure it meets a consistent, high-integrity, organic standard.
| Criteria | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1600 plus extra credit) | 1080 | 3-Cow Rating | Very Good |
Farmstead dairies earn the most points. Corporations that have a history of skirting the organic rules receive the fewest. Ownership structure | 100 | Family-scale farm |
|
Farms that produce 100% of their milk receive the most points. Milk from "open market" or known confinement dairies receive the fewest. Milk Supply | 80 | Appears to only markets organic, investigation shows single-farm |
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100% organic farms receive the most points. Split operations with conventional dairy on the same property receive the fewest. Organic Production | 80 | Appears dedicated to organic production |
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Farms that completed the survey in detail received the most points.
Disclosure of Information for Verification | 0 | Did not participate |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certification | 100 | OEFFA |
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Animal Welfare Approved and Biodynamic certifications receive the most bonus points. Producers are not penalized for not having additional certifications beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 100 | Real Organic Project Certified |
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100% grass-fed with independent verification of standards Grass-fed | 90 | Markets 100% grass-fed |
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No points are given for this but the information may be useful to certain consumers looking to avoid soy. Soy Free Ration? | Soy-free | |
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Sliding scale based on policies, enforcement, acreage/cow, days/year on pasture, and permissible exemption. Pasture | 90 | Excellent pasture compliance |
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One time/day receives the most points. Two times per day is standard. Times Milked | 90 | Likely twice a day (standard) |
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Lower cull rate scores better, with under 10% receiving the most points. Cull/death Rate | 50 | Unknown, likley lower |
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Farms with closed herds receive the most points. Farms that sell organic calves and buy conventional replacements receive the fewest. Replacements | 50 | Likely closed herd |
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Standard practice is removing calves shortly after birth, with extra points given for unique ways of managing calves
Calves | 50 | Unknown, likely removed at birth (standard practice) |
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Farms that prohibit antibiotics receive the most points. Farms that allow young stock to receive antibiotics (under one year), receive the fewest.
Antibiotic Use | 100 | No antibiotics given |
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No hormones is the standard, however some farms do use oxytocin for therapeutic purposes. Hormone Usage | 50 | No answer; hormones may be used therapeutically |
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Farmstead dairies (owner lives on-site) receive the most points. Fewer points are given as oversight declines. Farm Support | 50 | Close management |
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All ingredients sourced from inside the organization or on the farm receives the highest points. Ingredients from confinement factory farms and/or imported ingredients receive the fewest. Procurement of Ingredients | 0 | No answer |
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Various levels of extra credit given for 1) providing full organic systems plan, 2) providing details on all farms (multi-farm brands, details on largest five required), and 3) sourcing feed on-farm or domestically. Extra Credit | 0 | None |
