Common Good Farm
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Raymond, NE |
| Website | www.commongoodfarm.com |
| Market Area | Lincoln, NE Region |
| Total Score | 2480 |
They write: “Our fabulous brown eggs are from chickens pastured on our certified Biodynamic pastures. We grind our own organic custom mix of chicken ration to supplement their diet of bugs & grass & scraps from our own vegetable production. We procure the organic grains from other Nebraska farmers that certify organic. We sell our eggs direct on-farm year-round, as well as through Open Harvest in Lincoln. We are at Old Cheney Farmer’s Market in Lincoln from late April through earliest July. Certified organic eggs means they receive no antibiotics, hormones or GMO grains. We rotate the chicken houses throughout our pastures in moveable houses with portable fencing to protect them from wild animals & neighborhood dogs, as well as protect the produce from the chickens. They are an important part of our pest control management strategy (chickens love grasshoppers, especially!) & forage makes up about 30 percent of their diet. We pack our eggs nest run — this means mixed sizes in a carton. Carton weight total runs from medium (minimally) usually hedging towards large. The chickens are an important part of our farm rotation, providing pest control, increasing fertility, working in a balance with the produce, cattle & hogs.”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 2480 | 5-Egg Rating | Top Rated |
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 | 100 | family-owned LLC |
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Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 100 | under 500 birds |
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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) | 50 | farm is certified Biodynamic (but not the eggs) |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 100 | Stellar Certification Services |
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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 | 100 | 100% organic |
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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 | 100 | 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, litter, pasture |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 80 | refreshed as needed, cleaned two times per year |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 100 | windows along whole length of house, outdoor access |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 70 | 30-32 sq ft/hen |
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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 | 100 | at least one door per 75 birds |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 100 | feed, water, 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 | 90 | year-round access except during most extreme weather |
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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 | 80 | mobile houses moved 1-2 times monthly |
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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 | 100 | manure composted and used on farm |
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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 | 100 | no beak trimming |
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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 | 80 | 2.5 years old |
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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 |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 100 | 3% annually to predators |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 80 | raised own pullets from chicks |
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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 | 100 | 5-6 weeks of age |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 80 | some grain grown on farm, all feed milled on farm, pasture access |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 100 | all domestically produced feed, buy whole grain to mill on farm |
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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 |
