Starry Nights Farm

Rating
Product offerings	Whole, half, quarter, ground
Website	www.starrynightsfarm.com/
Market area	Online
Location	Burlington, WI
Specialty labels	100% grass fed, Animal Welfare Approved
Participated in Survey?	No
Total Score	795

From their about page: “Of course our beef is 100% grass fed and grass finished and our farm is USDA Certified Organic, but that’s only part of the story.

It all starts with the soil. When we purchased the land over 8 years ago, we not only spent 3 years working on the land and soil to convert it to organic, but also to make sure the soil was at its strongest and healthiest to plant grasses for our future cattle. Once we started planting, our grasses took off and have become healthy pastures that are cows now enjoy.

They say as a grass fed beef farmer, you really are a “grass management” farmer, and we agree to that completely. By managing your soil and our grasses to the healthiest and fullest potential, you get healthy, well developed cows that will translate into delicious, nutritious, top quality beef. We manage our soil and grasses by using a rotational grazing system.”

Criteria	Points	Comment
TOTAL (possible score is 1100)	795	4-Steak
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure	50	Did not participate; investigation found some information
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	90	Farmstead farm
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	90	Likely single-farm/ranch source
Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points. Commitment to Organics	90	Appears committed to organic label, but did not participate
This category is non-scoring and provided for information purposes. Organic Certifier		MOSA
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	100	Animal Welfare Approved
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	90	100% grass fed, meeting AWA grazing requirements
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	90	Indication of good pasturing practices, including rotational pasture grazing
Brands that closely monitor and manage for health of soil, native species, and water quality receive the most points. Environmental Stewardship	40	Some indication of good land stewardship, using silvopasture
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	80	Produces majority of feed on-site, including hay produced on-site
Lower cull and death rates recieve more points. Cull and Death Rates	0	Unknown
More points are given for greater frequency of contact and close management with cattle and closed herds. Oversight	75	Evidence of superb oversight
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	0	None