Bilinski Sausage Manufacturing Co. (Schonwetter Enterprises)

Rating
Farm/Brand HeadquartersCohoes, NY
ProductsChicken, processed meat, sausage
Websitewww.bilinski.com/products/organic-sausage/
Market AreaNationwide
Total Score1145

They write: “It’s Time To Re-Think Sausage: Put the old adages about “how the sausage gets made” out of your mind. Sausage can be healthier and still taste good. Ingredients can be something to show with pride. Bilinski’s is about sausage reimagined– made simply from whole ingredients, and responsibly raised chickens. These are sausages you can feel good about.

Our Mission: Helping To Build
A Better World, From the Ground Up
For Animals
by supporting farmers that are raising the bar for animal welfare.

For Our Future
by using ingredients that are raised and grown responsibly, with respect for the environment.

For Children
By making real food, in reasonable portions, that tastes great, while still being wholesome and nutritious.

For Community
By working to end hunger at home, and to bring high-quality proteins to kids and families.”

CriteriaPointsComment
TOTAL (possible score is 1800) 1145
4-Bird Rating | Excellent
Family Farms and cooperatives receive the most points. Corporations and companies with poor or negligible farm oversight receive the fewest points.
Ownership structure
80Family owned business
100% organic brands receive the most points. Split operations receive fewer with increased penalties for poor segregation at the processor and farm level.
Dedication to Organic Production
70Sells natural and organic products
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points.
Transparency and Disclosure
100Full transparency
Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier.
Organic Certifier
75QAI
To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys).
Flock size
204,000+ birds per flock
No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points.
Stocking Density
40Moderate stocking densities
Mobile housing receives the highest number of points.
Housing Style
40Fixed housing with minimum outdoor access
Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points.
Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age
50Slaughtered at 6-7 weeks
Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points.
Timing for Outdoor Access
40>50% total lifespan outside
Enrichments include but are not limited to shade structures, water, novel feedstuff (greens, mealworms, sprouted grains), and dust baths.
Enrichments (outdoor and indoor)
60
Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic.
Other Labels/Standards
40GAP Step 3, Non-GMO Project Verified
Maximum points given for high quality, rotated pasture. Non-rotated pasture adjacent to fixed housing with lower than 90% vegetative cover receives fewer points.
Outdoor Management
60Vegetated outdoor area
100 points for on-farm production and/or milling of feed. Fewest points given to feed that cannot be verified as domestic and/or birds get poor or no supplementation from outdoor foraging.
Feed Sourcing
90Domestically sourced
Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points.
Synthetic Methionine
60Maximum allowable used
Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points.
Cull/death Rate
100Low cull and death rates
Chicks and poults that are certified organic since hatching, or are hatched on-farm receive 100 points. Off-farm or conventional chicks and poults receive 70 points.
Chick and Poult Sourcing
70Purchase chicks/poults from conventional hatcheries (allowed practice in organic production)
No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points.
Physical Alterations
100No physical alterations performed
Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points.
Farm Support
50Relies on 3rd party certification
Non-scoring, category provided for information only.
Slaughter Method (non-scoring)
Non-scoring, category provided for information only.
Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring)
Soy likely fed
Maximum transparency, sharing of the organic systems plan, and/or novel practices that sets the brand apart from the rest of the industry can result in extra credit points.
Extra Credit
0None