Specific guidelines for ruminants (beef, sheep & goat)
Specific guidelines for poultry (chicken, duck, turkey, and other game birds)
At Good Eggs, we select meat products with a preference to local and California raised animals. In addition, our preference is to GAP rated products and/or other animal welfare certifications (i.e.: certified humane, food alliance, GAP, organic, etc.). Good Eggs is also committed to working with small producers on the path to higher integrity animal welfare and certifications.
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 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.
All of the criteria listed below covers 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:
Transparency
The suppliers we work with directly must be fully transparent and be able to present documentation as requested. Where applicable, all suppliers we work with demonstrate compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act.
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).
- Documentation supporting any and all animal welfare claims.
- Non-GMO certification if marketed as GMO-Free Certified.
- A list of farms/ranches from which animals are sourced.
- Chain of custody, and can identify every farm and ranch where animals are sourced.
All animals must:
- All meat products within the scope of the standard must be certified organic or verified as non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project or another approved certification.
- Not be treated with hormones.
- Not be treated with subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics. If an animal is treated with a therapeutic dose of antibiotics, it cannot be subsequently used for production.
- Be fed an all vegetarian diet.
Specific guidelines for ruminants (beef, sheep & goat)
- 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
- 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)
- Unless smallholder producer exemption applies, broiler hens should be slaughtered using controlled atmosphere stunning systems.