Dream Farm
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Cross Plains, WI |
| Website | www.dreamfarm.biz |
| Market Area | Madison WI Area |
| Total Score | 2290 |
They write: “We are a family farm raising a variety of livestock on 25 acres. In addition to laying hens, we raise dairy goats and craft cheese in our licensed on-farm cheeserie. We also raise Jacob sheep, a few grass fed steers and 3 pigs to consume the cheese whey. Whey is also fed to the chickens. We strive to maintain our farm in a way that is benefiting all living organisms of our place. We hope to leave this farm in a better place than when we began farming this beautiful land.”
Note from Cornucopia: You can meet Jim and Diana Murphy, owners of Dream Farm, in a brief video that accompanies our report, Scrambled Eggs.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 2290 | 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 farm, produces all of own eggs |
|
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) | none | |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 100 | MOSA |
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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 | Over 5 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, outdoor access |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 100 | year-round pasture access |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 100 | birds have ample access to outdoors for natural light during all daylight hours |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 100 | over 1,000 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 | 100 | year-round pasture access |
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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 | 100 | rotated pasture with mobile housing, moved daily |
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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 is spread out by birds through rotations |
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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 | 40 | less than 1.5 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 for food, eggs |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 20 | less than 10% per year due to piling, hawks, owls, illness |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 80 | raise up from day old 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 | 40 | 16 weeks |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 75 | whey from cheesemaking plus pasture |
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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 | try to get domestic but can't be sure |
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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 | No | no 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 | 95 | full photo set, one unclear answer |
