Mary’s Organic Chicken (Pitman Family Farms)
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Sanger, CA |
| Products | Chicken, turkey, duck |
| Website | www.marysturkeys.com/turkeysOrganic.html |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 1080 |
Mary’s Organic Chicken is a brand subsidiary of Pitman Family Farms.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 1080 | 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 | 60 | Family 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 | 30 | Markets both conventional and organic with some split operations and policies to maintain organic segregation |
|
Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure | 100 | Transparent participant |
|
Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier | 100 | Organic Certifiers |
|
To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 30 | Large flock sizes with dedication to keeping humane stocking density |
|
No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 40 | Okay stocking densities providing for high welfare |
|
Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 40 | Static barns/fixed housing with some outdoor access |
|
Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 40 | Brand uses Cornish Cross or similar, slaughtering between 6-8 weeks for chickens |
|
Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 30 | Less than 1/2 of lives with access to outdoors; not all birds are able to access outdoors |
|
Enrichments include but are not limited to shade structures, water, novel feedstuff (greens, mealworms, sprouted grains), and dust baths. Enrichments (outdoor and indoor) | 70 | Provides enrichments to their birds with some commitment to utilizing outdoor spaces |
|
Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 40 | GAP certified to step 3 and 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 | 50 | Fixed housing with properly maintained outdoor area to maintain vegetative cover with mobile fencing |
|
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 | 40 | Sources some feed internationally; gets domestic feed whenever possible |
|
Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 70 | Uses methionine in levels allowed by organic regulations |
|
Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points. Cull/death Rate | 100 | Cull and death rates below 5% |
|
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 | Get chicks/poults from brand's own hatcheries (allowed practice in organic production) |
|
No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points. Physical Alterations | 100 | No physical alterations performed on chickens |
|
Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 70 | Company representatives visit each farm regularly, every two weeks minimum |
|
Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | Controlled atmosphere stunning | |
|
Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring) | Chickens are fed soy | |
|
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 |
