Nick’s Organic Farm
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Potomac, MD |
| Products | Chicken, turkey |
| Website | www.nicksorganicfarm.com/ |
| Market Area | Maryland |
| Total Score | 1730 |
This farm is certified by the Real Organic Project:
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 1730 | 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 | 100 | Farmstead (owned and operated by farm family) |
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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 | Maryland Dept. of Agriculture |
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To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 100 | Small flock sizes (below 200 birds) for both chickens and turkeys. |
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No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 100 | Stocking density allows for individual birds to display natural behaviors and avoid any crowding indoors and outdoors. |
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Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 100 | Mobile hoop housing moved daily for both chickens and turkeys |
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Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 95 | Raises meat-type slower growing “red” Cornish type, white Cornish, and both common meat (Broad Breasted Whites) and heritage breeds of turkey |
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Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 95 | Chickens are given outdoor access at around 2-3 weeks of age, the majority spending a minimum of 2/3rds of their lives or more outdoors. Turkeys spend the majority of their lives outdoors. |
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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 | Enrichments provided indoors and outdoors. |
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Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 100 | Real Organic 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 | 100 | 100% vegetation is maintained, rotated with beef cattle |
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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 | 100 | 100% of feed is local, grains and forages.grown on-farm |
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Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 90 | Supplements some synthetic methionine in amounts less than maximum allowed |
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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 | 80 | Some of the chicks, but not all, are beak tipped when only a few days old by supplier |
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Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 100 | Farmstead production with daily interaction |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | Hand-slaughter | |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring) | No | |
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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 |
