New Century
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Shullsburg, WI |
| Website | www.facebook.com/pages/New-Century-Farm-Organic-Eggs/ |
| Market Area | Wisconsin |
| Total Score | 2030 |
They write: “We are a small, family-owned and run operation. We aim to deliver the highest quality, healthiest eggs possible with the least negative impact on the environment, while promising a fair price to our customers and still earning a decent living for our family.”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 2030 | 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 | 80 | family owned that purchases around 20% of their eggs from other supplier |
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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 avg 2,250 |
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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) | ||
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier | 85 | GOA |
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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 farm |
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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/henÊ |
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Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments | 80 | perces, some litter |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 60 | freshened annually |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 90 | abundant natural light inside house via curtain sides |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 70 | avg 10 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 | 90 | one door for every 76-250 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 | 30 | close up late fall through early spring |
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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 | 60 | fixed housing with non-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 | 100 | manure used on crop fields |
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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 | 80 | beaks tipped on day 1 |
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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 | 76 weeks 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 to ethnic markets |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 80 | 5%Ê |
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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 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 | 20 | 26 weeks |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 90 | grow and mill nearly all feed on 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 | most feed grown on farm, soy purchased nearby |
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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 | 85 | not full photo set |
