Organic Prairie (Organic Valley)
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | La Farge, WI |
| Products | Chicken |
| Website | www.organicprairie.com/ |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 735 |
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 735 | 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 | 80 | Co-operative with close ties to farming community |
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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 | CROPP is a flagship brand in the organic industry, with strong commitment to organics with 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 | 20 | Did not complete survey; individual farmers willing to participate in investigation |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier | 75 | No response; certifiers for individual farms vary |
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To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 30 | No response; investigation suggests flock sizes are moderate at indivudual supplier farms |
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No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 20 | No response; stocking density likelyaround 5lbs/square foot at a minimum |
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Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 40 | Majority of suppliers use static (fixed) housing, with some dedication to maintaining vegetation |
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Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 40 | Brand uses Cornish Cross or similar with some commitment to utilizing outdoor spaces, slaughtering at 4-5 weeks. |
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Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 30 | No response; typically around 4 weeks of age. Birds likley spend less than ½ of their lives outdoors with poor or inconsistent outdoor access for individuals. |
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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) | 30 | No response; co-op uses supplier farms that likely use some enrichments, but the extent is unknown. |
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Points awarded for labels that go above and beyond organic. Other Labels/Standards | 0 | None |
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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 | 40 | Confirmed that the brand meets minimum organic standards for outdoor access |
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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 | 30 | No response; sourcing difficult to track but majorrity of farms use domestic or even local grain sourcing |
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Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 70 | No response; many farms likley supplement maxium allowed |
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Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points. Cull/death Rate | 40 | No response; likely moderate based on background investigations but varies widely depending on supplier farms |
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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 | 0 | No response, likely from conventional hatcheries |
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No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points. Physical Alterations | 20 | No response; Brand regularly performs or allows the performance of beak tipping |
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Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 70 | No response; cooperative that sets standards and has a staff that visits farms regularly |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | No response | |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Soy Free Ration? (non-scoring) | Soy likely fed | |
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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 |
