Sauder’s
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Lititz, PA |
| Website | www.saudereggs.com |
| Market Area | Mid-Atlantic Region |
| Total Score | 1145 |
Sauder’s Organic Eggs are produced by hens that receive a special diet and special treatment: they are fed rations having ingredients that were grown without pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, hormones, or commercial fertilizers from the day of their birth; they receive no drugs; and they are free to roam throughout their hen house, entering and leaving their nests at will.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 2600) | 1145 | 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 | 70 | family owned business with contracts with other farmers |
|
Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards.
Average Flock Size | 0 | |
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Single henhouses receive the most points.
Single or Double Henhouses | 100 | single |
|
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 | 85 | PCO |
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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 | 20 | split operation with organic and caged conventonal hens on same property |
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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 | 80 | perches with deep litter |
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Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management | 0 | |
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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 in henhouses |
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Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points.
Outdoor Space per Bird | 10 | .1-1 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 | 40 | 11 popholes per house |
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Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments | 0 | none |
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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 | during inclement weather only |
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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 | 20 | fixed housing with little outdoor space |
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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 | sold off 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 | 70 | within the 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 | 1.5 years 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 | 0 | |
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Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points.
Death Loss Rate | 0 | |
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Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points.
Pullets | 40 | 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 | 0 | |
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Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points.
Feed Produced on Farm | 10 | no feed produce on farm nor are hens supplemented with pasture |
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Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points.
US Grown Feed | 0 | |
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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 |
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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 tonÊ |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Disclosure Rate | 30 | did not fill out new survey, no photos, no producers |
