Good Earth Farms
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Milladore, WI |
| Products | Chicken, soy free |
| Website | www.goodearthfarms.com/index.htm |
| Market Area | Wisconsin, online |
| Total Score | 760 |
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 760 | 3-Bird Rating | Very Good |
Family Farms and cooperatives receive the most points. Corporations and companies with poor or negligible farm oversight receive the fewest points. Ownership structure | 90 | Family-scale producer with close neighbors contributing |
|
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 | 90 | Farms appears dedicated to organic ideals; unclear about other supplier farms due to non-responsiveness |
|
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure | 0 | No response to survey or investigator inquiries |
|
Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier | 100 | Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA) |
|
To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 70 | No response to survey, but indications flock sizes are moderate at a minimum |
|
No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 60 | No response; photo evidence shows low stocking densities on main farm |
|
Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 70 | No response but investigations show mobile housing and fencing, legitimate pasturing |
|
Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 60 | Investigation shows cornish cross or similar strain and broad breasted white turkeys on pasture, however details could not be confirmed |
|
Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 0 | Timing for access and slaughter unknown due to non-responsiveness |
|
Enrichments include but are not limited to shade structures, water, novel feedstuff (greens, mealworms, sprouted grains), and dust baths. Enrichments (outdoor and indoor) | 50 | Birds appear to have legitimate outdoor access combined with enrichments in brooder (where they are raised as chicks) |
|
Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 0 | None |
|
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 | 80 | Birds are managed on pasture outdoors, with turkeys given free range of farms and chicken in move-able fencing. Due to non-responsiveness it's unclear what early outdoor access looks like. |
|
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 | 0 | No response |
|
Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 0 | No response |
|
Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points. Cull/death Rate | 0 | No response |
|
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 | 0 | No response |
|
No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points. Physical Alterations | 0 | No response |
|
Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 90 | Farmstead with owners living on-site; unclear what other suppliers have for farm support |
|
Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | 0 | Unknown |
|
Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring) | 0 | Yes |
|
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 | 0 | None |
