Alderfer Eggs
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Telford, PA |
| Website | www.alderfereggs.com |
| Market Area | East Coast |
| Total Score | 1815 |
They write: “Alderfer Poultry Farm is a 5th generation family farm overlooking the peaceful, rolling hills of Southeastern, Pennsylvania. In 1998 our family decided to make a healthy change, both for our customers and our hens, by removing cages from our hen houses and transitioning our farm to Certified Organic. Today we have our chickens, feed mill, and land Certified Organic. In recent years, Alderfer’s has been able to grow beyond our home farm by partnering with additional family farms in Southeast and Central PA. One of our goals is to empower other family farms to be sustainable for future generations. However, despite our growth, we continue to strive to remain personable with our customers. As organic, family farmers we recognize the impact our farming techniques have on both the hens and the land and we remain committed to our responsibility as good stewards of these resources.”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 1815 | 4-Egg Rating | Excellent |
Family farms and farmer cooperatives that market their own eggs receive the most points. Corporations that do not produce any eggs receive the fewest points.
Ownership Structure | 70 | family farm |
|
Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 20 | 5,000 to 25,000 |
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Single henhouses receive the most points.
Single or Double Henhouses | 100 | single |
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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 Certifications (bonus points) | 30 | some barns certified humane |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 85 | PCO |
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Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points.
Commitment to Organics | 80 | home farm 100% organic; partners with other farms for conventional |
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More than 1.8 square feet per bird receives the most points, less than 1.2 square feet receives the fewest.
Indoor Space per Bird | 50 | 1.2 sq ft/henÊ |
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Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments | 100 | perches, dust baths, scratching areas |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 80 | Freshened as needed |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 80 | 40-90% natural light |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 10 | .2 to 1.2 sq ft/bird |
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Farms that ensure birds are in mobile housing or 1 large door per 75 birds receive the most points.
Popholes/Exit to the Outdoors | 40 | 8-12 per house, 1 ft x 2 ft |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 60 | shade |
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Farms that can ensure outdoor access year round or those that only confine birds during inclement weather receive the most points.
Outdoor Space Exemptions | 70 | outdoor access seasonal |
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Farms that use mobile housing rotated on pasture every 1-2 days or weekly receive the most points.
Outdoor Management System | 20 | fixed housing, non-rotated, some houses have access to pasture |
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Farms that recycle chicken manure on the farm, using it for fertilizer, without causing nutrient pollution, receive the most points.
Manure Handling System | 90 | manure recycled on the farm, sold to neighboring famrs |
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Farms that never force molting receive the most points. Forced Molting | 100 | no forced molting |
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Farms that never trim or tip beaks receive the most points.
Beak Trimming | 70 | trimming prior to 10 days |
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Farms where hens live an average of 3+ years or 1.6-3 years receive the most points.
Laying Hen Lifespan | 60 | 1.5 years |
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Farms where spent hens die a natural death, are sold for meat, or are processed and sold for human consumption, receive the most points.
Use of Spent Hens | 100 | sold live for food |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 60 | 5-7% |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 80 | raises own pullets |
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Farms that allow pullets access to the outdoors within the first 6 weeks of life, or within 6-10 weeks, receive the most points.
Pullet Access to Outdoors | 40 | move to layer barns at 17 weeks |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 80 | some grain produced on farm |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 70 | aim to use grain grown on farm or buy domestically |
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No points are given for this but the information may be useful to certain consumers looking to avoid soy. Soy in Feed | Yes | soy in feed ration |
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Farms that do not feed synthetic amino acids receive the most points. Synthetic Amino Acids | 70 | No more than 2 lbs per ton |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Disclosure Rate | 100 | full disclosure |
