Green Meadow Organics (Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch)
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Saranac, MI |
| Website | https://herbrucks.com/ |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 0 |
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is an industrialized organic brand that focuses on profit margin rather than dedication to organic ideals and animal welfare. These brands produce mostly conventional eggs, but their stake in the organic egg marketplace can be huge because of the volume of organic eggs they produce.
Brands like this one lack transparency. Transparency is the hallmark of ethical food production – especially among organic producers.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1700) | 0 | 1-egg |
Brands that have close daily control over their egg production receive the most points. Ownership Structure | 0 | Industrial-organic with corporate veiling, lack of transparency in business model |
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Brands that only produce organic products make the biggest investments — in time and money — in systems that benefit us all. Eggs sourced from a single operation receive the most points. Eggs of unclear origins and/or with poor oversight receives the fewest points. Commitment to Organic Label | 0 | An industrial-organic brand, with conventional and organic products |
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Additional certifications, depending on the credibility of the label, can demonstrate a commitment beyond the organic standards. Other Labels and Standards | 0 | Some eggs may have other labels; check packaging |
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Smaller flock sizes (the number of laying hens per housing structure) offer better animal welfare conditions. Flock Size(s) | 0 | Likely large flock sizes, exceeding 20k birds per house |
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The best housing offers space for natural behaviors and legitimate access to the outdoors through adequate exits. Hen Housing and Exit Areas | 0 | Fixed housing; all hens cannot be outdoors at same time |
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Adequate indoor spacing reduces stress and disease. With less crowding, birds can stretch their wings and more easily perform other natural behaviors. Indoor Spacing | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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High scoring brands provide enough space to allow each hen to fully utilize their outdoor area, and to perform instinctive behaviors without harming the environment. Outdoor Spacing | 0 | Poor outdoor spacing, less than what is offered indoors |
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High quality outdoor access includes vegetation, soil, and ample opportunities to forage year-round. Quality of Outdoor Access | 0 | Outdoor access is illegitimate, with the majority provided by porches or small strips alongside massive barns |
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Birds that are introduced to the outdoors early are more accustomed to spending time outdoors without fear or stress. Outdoor Access Timing | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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Year-round access to perches, scratching areas, deep litter, novel foodstuffs, and dust bathing contribute to quality of life. Enrichments | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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Chickens use their beaks to interact with the world. Authentic organic farmers account for this behavior, eschewing beak trimming. Alterations | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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Raising chicks on farm or buying them from certified organic hatcheries shows dedication to organic production from start to finish. Chicks and Pullets | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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Brands that have low rates of deaths and utilize their spent hens for human consumption or similar score the highest. Deaths, Culls, and Spent Hens | 0 | No answer/information not confirmed |
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Brands that closely monitor and manage health of soil, native species, and water quality receive the most points. Environmental Impacts | 0 | Severe negative environmental impacts |
| Feed Sourcing | 0 | Sourcing unknown, likely not domestic and possibly fraudulent organic grain |
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Brands that score well here go above and beyond to ensure the highest animal welfare, taking into consideration their hens’ safety and cleanliness, natural behavior, and stress levels. Animal Welfare | 0 | Poor animal welfare likely |
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Cornucopia believes you have a right to transparency. Top brands share information with Cornucopia via a survey and cooperate with our own independent investigations. Transparency | 0 | No transparency, industrial brand |
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Brands do not receive points, but this information is offered for people with soy and/or gluten allergies. Soy free and/or gluten free? | Some products may be soy-free, check packaging | |
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Brands do not receive points, but are invited to submit the name of their Accredited Organic Certifier (suppliers may have different certifiers). Organic Certifier (non-scoring) | No answer/information not confirmed | |
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Extra credit is offered for various practices that go above-and-beyond in some form. Extra Credit | 0 | None |
