Stueve’s Certified Organic

Rating
Farm/Brand Headquarters	Oakdale, CA
Website	www.facebook.com/stueveorganic/timeline
Market Area	Western US
Total Score	2630

They write: “The history of the Lloyd Stueve family is rooted in agriculture. About four generations ago his ancestors arrived from Germany. They came here as Germans but became American farmers, citizens, and Christian leaders in their communities. Beginning in 1839, on a farm in Missouri, the Stueves learned to clear thick forests so they could cultivate, plant and raise cows, chickens and pigs, using plow horses to do much of the work. Later, many of Lloyd’s father’s generation, Harold J.J. Stueve, followed him and his two uncles, Elmer and Ed to southern California to establish, in time, one of the country’s largest family owned dairy farms, Alta-Dena Dairy. Today the Lloyd Stueve family is continuing the farming tradition in the central valley of California. His family works hard to produce quality, healthy, organic products for consumption. These products are produced on their Certified Organic farm with emphasis on organic milk, beef, eggs, and olive oil. The cows, chickens and beef animals all graze on the pastures this farm encompasses bringing omega 3’s, CLA’s, non-GMO qualities to the foods. We all hope you will enjoy not only the taste and nutrition of these products but also that you will appreciate the time, effort and passion that it took to produce them.”

“Our eggs are on native ground that has never been sprayed with pesticides. We only treat and feed organically. With our chickens being in the pasture and rotating every other day gives the chickens a new, fresh area for feed (grass, clover, fly larve, grubs and other insects), and also keeps their area clean. We supplement their diet with a high quality feed from a local custom grain milling facility. Our belief is producing the highest quality egg for consumers to enjoy and know that what they are putting in their body is the best. With our operation being mobile everything has to be brought to them ie. Feed, fresh water, etc.”

Check us out on Facebook at Stueve’s Organic Farms

Criteria	Points	Comment
TOTAL (possible score is 2600)	2630	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 partnership, produce 100% of own eggs
Flocks of 500 birds or fewer receive the most points based on Animal Welfare Approved standards. Average Flock Size	100	Under 500 birds per flock
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)	100	Real Organic Project certified, Biodynamic certified
Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier	75	Oregon Tilth
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
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	100	less than 1 sq ft/bird but fully pastured, outside all day
Farms with perches, scratching areas and deep litter or year round pasture receive the most points. Indoor Enrichments	100	perches and full pasture access
Farms that freshen litter weekly receive the most points. Litter Management	100	year-round pasture access
Farms that ensure birds have ample access to outdoors during daylight hours receive the most points. Natural Light	100	Birds have ample access to the outdoors for natural light during all daylight hours
Farms that ensure 108 square feet per bird or more outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Space per Bird	100	rotated around 800 acres
Farms that ensure birds are in mobile housing or 1 large door per 75 birds receive the most points. Popholes/Exit to the Outdoors	100	birds kept on rotated pasture in mobile housing, can exit on both sides
Farms that ensure birds have access to feed, water and shade outdoors receive the most points. Outdoor Enrichments	80	feed, shade
Farms that can ensure outdoor access year round or those that only confine birds during inclement weather receive the most points. Outdoor Space Exemptions	100	outdoor access year-roundÊ
Farms that use mobile housing rotated on pasture every 1-2 days or weekly receive the most points. Outdoor Management System	100	rotated pasture with mobile housing, moved every 1-2 days
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 is spread out by birds through rotations
Farms that never force molting receive the most points. Forced Molting	100	no forced molting
Farms that never trim or tip beaks receive the most points. Beak Trimming	100	no beak trimming
Farms where hens live an average of 3+ years or 1.6-3 years receive the most points. Laying Hen Lifespan	100	Natural life span spent on farm
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 at auction
Farms where the death loss rate of hens is less than 3% annually receive the most points. Death Loss Rate	100	less than 3%
Farms that breed and incubate their own chicks, or raise their own pullets, receive the most points. Pullets	100	Raises own chicks
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	100	4 weeks
Farms where all feed is produced on the farm receive the most points. Feed Produced on Farm	75	Alfalfa grown on farm for birds
Farms where 100% of the feed is grown in the US or Canada receive the most points. US Grown Feed	100	100% of feed grown & milled domestically
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
Farms that do not feed synthetic amino acids receive the most points. Synthetic Amino Acids	100	No synthetic methionine used
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Disclosure Rate	100	full disclosure