Great Valley Organic Eggs
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Manteca, CA |
| Website | www.greatvalleypoultry.com |
| Market Area | California |
| Total Score | 1950 |
PLEASE NOTE: this is the listing for Great Valley’s regular organic eggs. Their pastured eggs have a separate listing.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 1950 | 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 | 100 | Family farm |
|
Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 40 | 16,000 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) | 60 | Certified humane |
|
Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 100 | Global Culture |
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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 | markets both organic and conventional eggs |
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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 | 80 | 1.5 sq ft/hen |
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Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments | 100 | perches, sawdust litter, year-round outdoor access |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 100 | Year-round outdoor access |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 100 | Year-round 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 | 20 | 1.5 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 | 20 | Two 8' x 10' doors |
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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 | Access during the day when weather permits |
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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 | 70 | Fixed houseing with rotated 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 | 80 | Manure sold for fertilizer |
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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 | Beak trimming within first 10 days of life |
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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 | 78 weeks average |
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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 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 | 20 | 0.1 |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 70 | Pullets purchased from outside source |
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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 | 80 | average 6 weeks old |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 50 | No feed produced on farm but access to outdoors with some vegetation |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 50 | Associated feed; didn't say if domestic or not |
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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 |
