Thousand Hills

Rating
Product offerings	Retail cuts, ground
Website	thousandhillslifetimegrazed.com/
Market area	Nationwide
Location	Becker, MN
Specialty labels	Land to Market, Savory Institute, 100% grass fed
Participated in Survey?	Yes
Total Score	865

NOTE: PCC Community Markets in the Seattle, WA area sells Thousand Hills organic beef (and not the brand’s conventional products). Thousand Hills only sells a limited amount of certified organic product and this score reflects only those organic products.

They say: “Founded in 2003, Thousand Hills works with 50 family farms across the U.S. to raise Lifetime Grazed Grass Fed Beef with regenerative agriculture practices. To date, 500,000 acres have been transitioned to regenerative practices to support biological diversity, natural resources, native wildlife habitat and soil fertility. Regional, decentralized processing builds a resilient supply chain for customers while invigorating rural economies. A leader in the industry, Thousand Hills produces the #1 fresh protein product nationally in the natural channel. Mission: Nourishing soil, plants, cattle and people by holistically grazing cattle for their lifetime. Learn more at:  www.lifetimegrazed.com

Criteria	Points	Comment
TOTAL (possible score is 1100)	865	4-Steak
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure	100	Excellent transparency
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	100	No history of bad actor
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	60	Multiple suppliers contribute to this brand, appear to have close relationships and control (via 3rd party labels), less input in day-to-day operation
Farms that are 100% certified organic receive the most points, farms/brands that are split conventional and organic receive fewer points. Commitment to Organics	60	Mostly produces 100% grass fed non-organic beef, with a few organic products
This category is non-scoring and provided for information purposes. Organic Certifier		Oregon Tilth
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	45	Only some products Animal Welfare Approved; Land to Market EOV (ecological outcome verification)
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	100	100% grass fed, confirmed with 3rd party certification
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	80	Good effort to manage pastures sustainably and keep cattle on pastures
Brands that closely monitor and manage for health of soil, native species, and water quality receive the most points. Environmental Stewardship	70	Dedicated to good land stewardship measures, suppliers under specific protocol and no public lands are used
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	100	The majority of the feed is sourced on-site for suppliers (100% grass fed)
Lower cull and death rates recieve more points. Cull and Death Rates	100	Less than 1%
More points are given for greater frequency of contact and close management with cattle and closed herds. Oversight	50	Moderate or better oversight likely but cannot confirm; unknown if closed herd
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