In order to be considered for inclusion in our Marketplace, meat products must meet the following baseline criteria.
All meat producers (beef, pork, sheep, goat & poultry) must provide the following documents to us:
- Third party labor certification or signed Good Eggs’ Labor Standards.
- USDA Slaughterhouse paperwork.
- Organic certification (if marketed as organic).
- Animal Welfare claims.
- Non-GMO certification if marketed as GMO-Free Certified.
- A list of farms/ranches from which animals are sourced.
All meat producers must be fully transparent, which includes allowing us to come for site visits. We expect that they maintain chain of custody, and can identify every farm and ranch from which they source animals.
All animals must:
- Be raised in the United States.
- Not treated with hormones.
- Not treated with subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics. If an animal is treated with a therapeutic dose of antibiotics, it cannot be subsequently used for production.
Specific guidelines for ruminants (beef, sheep & goat)
- In addition to the documents listed above, producers of ruminants must provide GAP Step-4 or Step-5 certification, AWA Certification, Certified Humane or letter of guarantee that it adheres to at least Step-4 standards.
- Ruminants must be raised on pasture, and not finished on a feedlot.
- Ruminants must not be raised or finished on a CAFO/AFO as defined by the USDA (AFO- animals confined more than 45 days in a 12 month period, CAFO as an AFO with more than 1000 animal units).
- Ruminants must not be fed or finished on GMO corn or soy.
- We prioritize working with ranchers who raise 100% grass-fed and finished animals, or who feed their animals what would otherwise be waste products, such as brewery grains.
Specific guidelines for pork
- In addition to the documents listed above, pork producers must provide GAP Step-3, -4, of -5 certification or letter of guarantee that it adheres to at least Step-3 standards.
- Pigs must not be raised or finished on a CAFO as defined by the USDA (as a non-pastured-centered AFO with more than 1000 animal units).
- Pigs must not be fed or finished on GMO corn or soy.
Specific guidelines for poultry (chicken, duck, turkey, and other game birds)
- In addition to the documents listed above, poultry producers must provide GAP Step-3, -4, of -5 certification or letter of guarantee that it adheres to at least Step-3 standards.
- Birds must be fed a 100% vegetarian diet.
- Non-pastured birds must be slaughtered via atmosphere stunning.
All of these criteria cover any product that is more than 50% meat by weight or volume or is the first ingredient. Any meat used as an ingredient that isn’t covered by these criteria must meet the sourcing criteria for the category under which the product containing meat falls.
Along with our baseline criteria, we also keep the following philosophies in mind when choosing who to partner with:
- We aim to support vertically integrated operations where animals are allowed to grow at a natural pace and slaughtered at an older age, compared to conventional operations.
- We aim to utilize all parts of the animal wherever possible. This helps us decrease waste, pay ranchers a premium price, keep every aspect of the process within the local economy, and honor the life of the animal.
- We support ranching operations that go out of their way to use holistic grazing practices that improve the land and have a net positive environmental impact.