Organic Valley
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | La Farge, WI |
| Website | www.organicvalley.coop |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 1505 |
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 1505 | 3-Egg Rating | Very Good |
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 | 90 | farmer-owned cooperative that produces all of eggs marketed |
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Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 60 | Ê5,500 bird flock |
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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 | 75 | Oregon Tilth |
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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 | 70 | company only markets organic but some farms produce non-organic eggs (ex. Judy's) |
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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 | 1.75 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, scratching areas, litter |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 60 | litter freshened after each flock removed |
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Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points.
Natural Light | 80 | limited natural light inside the house |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 40 | company requires 5 sq ft/hen except at Judy's Farm & Bushman farm (for some strange reason?) |
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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 | 50 | somewhere between 1 door for every 500-3,000 hens |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 0 | no answer |
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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 | 50 | some are confined seasonally in winter, others confined year-round |
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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 | 30 | fixed housing with non-rotated outdoor space, porches, or no outdoor space at all (Bushmans) |
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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 | 50 | no answer |
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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 | beaks trimmed in 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 | 40 | laying hens live less than 1.5 years |
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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 | 30 | some sold live, some composted, some sold for pet 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 | 80 | probably 5% |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 40 | most farmers purchase ready-to-lay pullets from outside sources |
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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 | 18 weeks of age |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 50 | some farmers grow their own feed, others do not |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 40 | some feed ingredients grown/milled outside of US |
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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 | 10 | refused to fill out survey, some transparency on website |
