Mission Mountain
| Rating |  |
| Company | Mission Mountain Organic Farm |
| Outdoor Access | Enhanced Outdoor Access |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Location | Ronan, MT |
| Market Area Detail | Western Montana and Nationally |
| Website | www.missionmountainorganiceggs.blogspot.com |
| Total Score | 2270 |
Remember in the “good old days” when you cracked open those eggs from the farm and they stood up in the skillet in a small circle with a bright orange yolk? Have we all gotten too used to the modern pale yolked eggs that run like water all the way to the edges of the pan? Revisit the flavor and the texture of the “good old days” when you try these eggs. We’ve had so many people tell us that they’d forgotten how good eggs used to taste until our eggs brought back those memories.Located in the heart of the Flathead River valley of Montana, our chickens freely range on pasture during the day, coming in to shelters to lay their eggs and roost at night. Unlike the “factory chicken farms”, which keep hens enclosed in huge buildings with less than a square foot of floor space per bird for their entire lives and eating rations of chemically grown grain and antibiotics, our hens take a break from pasturing on their natural grass diet to happily scurry around in pursuit of that hopping grasshopper or that flying bug in view of the beautiful Mission Mountains. Their diet is supplemented with certified organically grown, natural, non-soy grains on a free-choice basis, leafy and green alfalfa hay in the winter, and they drink from non-chlorinated, fresh mountain water drawn from underground water sources filtered by nature, the same as our own family drinks. Our hens lead a contented, serene life with a natural and completely organic diet which, we think you’ll notice, produces a healthier, better-tasting egg for you and your family. We comply with the strict organic standards set by the USDA and are annually inspected for compliance to be 100% “certified organic” in this small family operation.
| Criteria | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2700) | 2270 | 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, produce 100% of eggs |
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Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 80 | flocks are 1,001-3,000 birds in size |
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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) | 0 | none |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 100 | Montana Dept. of Ag. |
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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 | 80 | 1.7-1.8 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, dust baths, scratching,, pasture access |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 80 | litter freshened often, some pasture access |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 80 | some natural light via windows |
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Farms that ensure 108ft2 per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 80 | 100 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 | 80 | one door for every 251-500 hens |
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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 | 90 | outdoor access except during inclement 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 | 70 | fixed house with rotated pastures |
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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 | composted and applied 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 | 60 | 18 months 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 | 100 | less than 1% annually |
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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 | 80 | 6-8 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 produced on the 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 | 100 | all domestically grown |
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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 | 100 | full disclosure |