Avenales Cattle Co.

Rating
Product offeringsRetail cuts
Websitewww.avenalesranch.com
Market areaOn-line, in San Luis Obispo and Templeton, CA
LocationShandon, CA
Participated in Survey?Yes
Total Score1050

For more information on Avenales beef, click here.

CriteriaPointsComment
TOTAL (possible score is 1100) 1050
5-Steak
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Transparency and Disclosure
100Very transparent
Family farms and farmer cooperatives that market their own beef receive the most points. Corporations that do not directly produce any beef receive the fewest points.
Ownership History
100Farmstead
Beef sourced from a single operation receives the most points. Beef of unclear origins and/or with poor oversight receives the fewest points.
Beef Supply
100Single ranch
Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points.
Commitment to Organics
100Organic only
This category is non-scoring and provided for information purposes.
Organic Certifier
Organic Certifiers
Animal Welfare Approved, Real Organic Project, and Biodynamic certifications receive the most bonus points. Producers are not penalized for not having additional certifications beyond organic.
Other Labels and Standards
60GAP Level-4
100% grass-fed and finished or cattle finished with site-grown supplement receives the most points. Cattle finished exclusively in a feedlot receive the fewest points.
Beef Finishing
100Grass fed and finished
Points are awarded for quantity of time cattle are on pasture above and beyond what the USDA requires, and for the quality and care of the pasture.
Pasture and Grazing Management
100Rotationally grazed
Brands that closely monitor and manage for health of soil, native species, and water quality receive the most points.
Environmental Stewardship
100Good environmental stewardship
Cattle finished on pasture or on feed that is grown on-farm or procured locally receive the most points. Feed of unknown origin, or known to be imported, receives the fewest points.
Feed Sourcing
90Supplemental alfalfa provided from domestic sources
Lower cull and death rates recieve more points.
Cull and Death Rates
100Under 1%
More points are given for greater frequency of contact and close management with cattle and closed herds.
Oversight
100Owner lives on site
Brands may receive extra credit for above and beyond transparency, or special practices not otherwise covered in the scorecard (see description for an explanation).
Extra credit
0None