Wegmans
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Rochester, NY |
| Products | Chicken |
| Website | www.wegmans.com |
| Market Area | Northeast |
| Total Score | 1100 |
Wegman’s did not provide any information when requested, however they do publicly disclose that they source their organic chicken from Bell and Evans, a four-bird rated brand. They should be commended for their transparency.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1800) | 1100 | 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 | 70 | Family-owned 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 | 70 | Brand markets both organic and conventional poultry products with superb segregation |
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Farms that participated in Cornucopia’s research providing full transparency receive the most points. Transparency and Disclosure | 50 | Did not complete survey, but does disclose supplier |
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Points determined by integrity of the brand’s organic certifier. Organic Certifier | 100 | OTCO |
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To receive full points, flocks must number 500 birds or fewer (200 for turkeys). Flock size | 20 | Raises a large number of birds in static (fixed) housing |
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No more than 1.5 lbs of bird per square foot is required for full points. Stocking Density | 50 | Decent dedication to stocking density that promotes good welfare, including work to acclimate chickens to larger house when young |
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Mobile housing receives the highest number of points. Housing Style | 60 | Fixed housing with dedication to providing quality outdoor spaces, including outdoor spaces with over 50% vegetation. |
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Heritage varieties receive the highest number of points. Strain and/or Breed and Slaughter Age | 60 | Raises Das Klassenbester meat bird strain, slaughtering between 6-8 weeks of age. |
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Birds must spend 3/4ths or more of their lives outdoors for full points. Timing for Outdoor Access | 50 | Birds spend approximately ½ of their lives with 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) | 70 | Provides indoor enrichments and ensures outdoor areas are vegetated. |
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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 | 60 | In general tries to have 100% or close to 100% vegetative cover in outdoor runs. |
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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 | 70 | No feed is produced on-farm but feed is confirmed to be domestically produced and local, with signed affidavits required. |
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Methionine needs met by outdoor foraging receives 100 points. Synthetic supplementation receives 70 points. Synthetic Methionine | 70 | Supplements 2.5lbs for broiler chickens (the maximum allowed by organic regulations) |
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Under 5% cull and death rate required for full points. Cull/death Rate | 100 | Under 5% cull and death rate for all organic suppliers. |
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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 | 100 | Chicks are certified organic before hatching (organic breeders) |
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No physical alterations required for full points. Permitting beak tipping results in fewer points. Physical Alterations | 100 | Brand performs no physical alterations |
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Measures farm oversight. Farmer owned brands, or daily visits by management required for maximum points. Farm Support | 0 | Unknown |
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Non-scoring, category provided for information only. Slaughter Method (non-scoring) | Pioneered Slow Induction Anesthesia (SIA). Chickens are rendered unconscious over the course of six to seven minutes in the safety of the drawers they are transported in from the farm | |
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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 |
