Greener Pastures Chicken
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Austin, TX |
| Products | Chicken |
| Website | greenerpastureschicken.com/ |
| Market Area | Texas, direct sale |
| Total Score | 1620 |
NOTE: Cameron Molberg, Cornucopia’s Board chair is the CEO of this brand. This relationship did not affect our process in reviewing and investigating this brand.
Greener Pasture’s says about their chicken: “Living an outdoor lifestyle, our chickens have full access to sunshine and fresh air, bugs and critters they find in the pasture, and native plants and grasses that stretch across their home pasture. Their diet is varied and nutrient-dense. Chickens raised on pasture still require additional feed to supplement their natural foraging, so we source only the freshest and highest-quality USDA Certified Organic feeds. Our organic regenerative farm integrates sustainable practices, encourages biodiversity, and builds healthy soils. Our style of farming is completely nature-driven.”
This farm is certified by the Real Organic Project:
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 1620 | 5-Bird Rating | Top-Rated |
Family Farms and cooperatives receive the most points. Corporations and companies with poor or negligible farm oversight receive the fewest points. Ownership structure | 90 | Closely held business—close ties/partnership with farmers and closely involved in management decisions. |
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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 | 100 | 100% organic production (brand does not market conventional) |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure | 100 | Full and open disclosure |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier | 100 | Bio Agricert |
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To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 80 | 2,000 birds or fewer per flock for chickens with stocking density allowing for good welfare for each individual bird. |
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No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 80 | Good stocking densities providing for high welfare, generally allowing no more than 3.5lbs per square foot. |
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Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 90 | Brooder is fixed but otherwise mobile housing is utilized, moved at least every 3 days. |
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Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 90 | Healthy, faster-growing strainsslaughtered between 9-10 weeks; working on developing own strain of broiler chickens |
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Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 80 | Birds spend at least ½ of their lives with good outdoor access |
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Enrichments include but are not limited to shade structures, water, novel feedstuff (greens, mealworms, sprouted grains), and dust baths. Enrichments (outdoor and indoor) | 100 | Provides novel enrichments to the birds in conjunction with ample opportunities to forage outdoors |
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Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 100 | Real Organic Project, Certified Humane, Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), and non-GMO project |
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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 | 90 | Rotated outdoors in mobile housing maintained at least 75% vegetative cover, |
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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 | 80 | Obtain feed from organic feed supplier that distributes locally |
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Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 80 | Supplements synthetic methionine in an amount less than the max required by organic regulations |
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Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points. Cull/death Rate | 100 | Very low cull and death rates (below 5%) |
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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 | 70 | Purchase chicks/poults from hatchery |
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No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points. Physical Alterations | 100 | No physical alterations are performed |
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Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 90 | Engaged management is on-farm almost daily |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | Electrified stunning bath | |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring) | No, soy is fed to the birds | |
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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 |
