Pastured Poultry News

  • Fri, April 03, 2020 11:01 AM | Anonymous

    Seeing lots of questions about the availability of feed, chicks, processing and other essential services that pastured poultry farms need.

    The Department of Homeland Security publishes a list of critically essential jobs, and as you might expect, agricultural supply chains are in that list. You can review it here:

    https://www.cisa.gov/…/guidance-essential-critical-infrastr…

    In terms of access to inputs (feed and chicks), please understand this is a high demand time of year. It's spring and the entire country is now coming online to raise meat birds. It's a recurring, high seasonal demand.

    There's an extra pressure on the supply right now. As consumers push a higher demand for pasture-raised chickens, farms are blowing through stockpiled inventory. It's an expected outcome that they will be trying to add capacity to meet the demand and replace inventory.

    That extra demand gobbles up all the available inventory and before you know it, your hatchery can't meet your needs for 1 month. It's not the end of the world. Don't panic. It's an increase in demand causing a 1 month window in next availability dates. That's a fairly normal result for this time of year.

    When you go to a big box store and you see the shelves picked clean of feed bags when normally they wouldn't be, understand that is panicked buying in much the same way bulk toilet paper purchases are. Please give your supply chains time to work. If you have doubts, talk to them. The pastured poultry community is built on relationships throughout the supply chain and your relationship with your feed and chick supplier should be prominent.

    Please don't hoard feed that you can't use within 30 days. If you do stockpile feed, you'll realize the cost of that decision in a couple months when your chickens develop growth problems and illnesses from nutritionally deficient feeds that you've stockpiled in the shed for three months.

  • Thu, April 02, 2020 8:27 AM | Anonymous

    Congress recently approved The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R.748), which provides $9.5 billion in support for “agricultural producers impacted by coronavirus, including producers of specialty crops, producers that supply local food systems, including farmers markets, restaurants, and schools, and livestock producers, including dairy producers.”

    The economic impact of social distancing and shutting down society is uneven within the local food economy. Many APPPA members have been able to shift their distribution models to focus on online sales and direct delivery to families. They are seeing unprecedented demand.  However, farms who rely heavily on other direct markets, such as restaurants, specialty retailer stores, and institutions, have seen devastating reductions in sales. They are left scrambling to shift sales models on-the-fly. 

    The National Sustainable Agricultural Coalition (NSAC) organized a letter to Secretary Perdue to remind the Secretary that local, direct-market farms are expected to incur a loss estimated at more than $1 billion dollars. APPPA eagerly agreed to sign onto that letter with 11 other organizations. 

    The letter reads, in part: 

    As you work through these challenging times to swiftly implement this provision of the CARES Act, we urge you to ensure that farmers and ranchers who have lost local and regional markets due to the pandemic receive financial relief, especially direct assistance, that is commensurate with their expected losses of over $1 billion.

    Read the full letter

  • Wed, April 01, 2020 10:37 AM | Anonymous

    APPPA welcomes Christian Alexandre (Crescent City, California) and Rosanna Bauman (Garnett, Kansas) to the board of directors, where they will be serving three-year terms. Voting for the 2020 board election closed on March 1, after a competitive election.

    Christian and Rosanna replace Craig Haney and Grady Phelan. Words are inadequate to acknowledge the work and effort Craig and Grady put into APPPA, but their influence is visible in so many ways, including our conference planning and implementation.

    Craig initiated the Poultry School at Stone Barns in New York, which included APPPA as a collaborator. The Stone Barns event gave the APPPA conference momentum and provided us with early insights into the need for a pastured poultry specific event.  Grady was a critical resource and host for launching the first APPPA conference in Hillsboro, Texas.

    New Leadership

    The Board, at the March 2020 APPPA board meeting, welcomed Christian and Rosanna and elected a new executive committee.  Here are your officers for this year:

    ‪· Susan Beal, DVM, President

    · Paul Greive, Vice President

    · David Hale, Treasurer

    · Ginger Shields, Secretary

    Five additional board members join  the executive committee to help serve you - the APPPA membership: Pat McNiff, Bruce Hennessey, Daniel Salatin, Rosanna Bauman, and Christian Alexandre.

  • Tue, March 24, 2020 10:56 AM | Anonymous

    The American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA), on behalf of our members, submits these comments relevant to the clarification of the label claim of “free range” for poultry products [Docket Number FSIS-2016-0021].

    Based on consultation with the AMS, FSIS currently deems the terms “Free Range,” “Free Roaming,” “Pasture Fed,” “Pasture Grown,” “Pasture Raised,” and “Meadow Raised” to be synonymous. By treating all these potentially different management scenarios as synonymous, the proposed directive opens the door for confusion on the part of the producer as well as the consumer.

    In their discussion about how the specific claims around these terms are to be made, the proposed FSIS directive states that the documentation “must describe the housing condition for the birds” and “must demonstrate continuous, free access to the outside throughout [the birds’] normal growing cycle.”

    However, FSIS has also been clear that it does not want to engage in a definition of these terms, nor in prescribing and auditing specific husbandry practices.

    The wording of the proposed directive allows poultry products to be labeled as “pastured raised,” even if the birds have never been outside on pasture in their lives. Additionally, being “outside” is not synonymous with being “on pasture.” Pasture implies vegetation rooted in soil, which is either actively growing or that has been stockpiled for use in the non-growing season.

    Access to the Outside / Being Outside Should be Defined more Clearly

    Poultry group dynamics ensures that birds who have “access to the outside” may never actually leave their social groups and their area of the house to walk to – and then venture through – the (typically very small) access doors to gain access to open outdoor air.

    Additionally, the FSIS directive states, “During winter months in northern climate, birds are not free range if they stay in poultry housing or coops all winter.” While APPPA and our members commend FSIS for clarifying the difference between winter and other seasonal housing, this part of the directive does not offer enough clarity.

    In this situation, FSIS deems birds are not free range if they stay in the coops and housing all winter, but does not differentiate this situation from the birds who, by virtue of their normal social behaviors and / or relative lack of access to suitable doors (size, number and location), do not move outside using the pop doors in other seasons. This seems incongruous.

    Pasture Raised Eggs and Chicken are Nutritionally Different

    There is evidence to support that poultry raised on viable, rooted-in-soil pasture display a nutritional profile that is different than poultry raised in confinement and / or in dirt-lot situations. Multiple research papers, supported by privately funded nutritional testing of poultry raised on growing pastures in a management system that incorporates movement across those pastures, show that there are differences in the nutritional profiles of the pastured birds.

    Because of this evidence and because there is additional research currently in progress, APPPA requests that FSIS reconsider their opinions. This research compares the nutritional components in the meat and eggs of pasture-raised birds compared to that of birds raised in other circumstances, including free range.

    Logic and laboratory work indicate that claiming “Free Range” as equivalent to “Pastured Raised” would construe and support misleading and untruthful claims.

    This lack of clarity and specificity is misleading to consumers and contributes to labels that are not truthful and misleading.  The consumer who is seeking out pastured poultry products specifically because of the differences in nutritional value has expectations about the way the label on the poultry accurately reflects the product contained within the packaging. Continuing to consider these different management practices as equivalent could result in products that are negligently misbranded using fundamentally incorrect labels. 

    APPPA proposes that FSIS continue to collate and study the available data and make an empirical assessment of the differences in nutritional content among the meat and eggs from birds raised in different husbandry models, including but not only, pasture-raised and free range. Further APPPA proposes that the final rule be delayed until such time as the research is more fully completed.

    Pasture Raised Not Synonymous with Free Range

    Since the mission of FSIS includes “ensuring the nation's commercial supply of poultry is correctly labeled and packaged,” it seems self-evident that the guidance offered regarding “Free Range” and “Pasture Raised” should include a clear definition of the claims being made on the labels.  

    The current definition of free range is inherently accurate: poultry are “Free to Range,” meaning they can stay indoors or go outdoors as they so choose.  In the Free Range system, a bird can stay indoors its entire life and still be accurately labeled as free range.  That would be an accurate and correct use of the Free-Range label, but it would not represent a Pasture-Raised bird.

    We also realize that most poultry must spend their first weeks in a very controlled environment (the brooder) in order to survive. (This is similar to the weaning period for ruminants.). It is unreasonable to propose that requirements for poultry that are “pasture-raised” include the provision that they “[must] demonstrate continuous, free access to the outside through [the birds’] normal growing cycle.”

    An accurate description of “pasture raised” is that each bird lives more than 50% of its life on pasture that is covered by rooted-in-soil vegetative cover, which is typically achieved by flock movement to fresh pasture.

    APPPA recommends that FSIS does not consider “Pasture Raised” synonymous with “Free Range” based on a growing body of research and fundamental differences in the approach of each system. APPPA proposes further discussion and collaboration with FSIS to more accurately define pasture raised poultry and eggs as a product that is inherently different than free range.

  • Sun, March 22, 2020 7:28 AM | Anonymous

    you got this

    The APPPA member response to the COVID 19 outbreak has been filled with grace, compassion, and strength in community. I (Mike Badger) have been checking in with people throughout this last week and everyone is busy serving their communities with access to locally produced food.

    Farms are literally shifting sales models on the fly from wholesale to direct sales with delivery routes, shipping, and running hard to meet an increased demand. They are forming collaborative sales groups quickly and sorting out the details as they go. Farms are holding prices stable despite high demand.

    It's too early to know what the new normal will look like for pastured poultry farms after this outbreak subsides.

    Here is something I do know.

    Farmers, you are essential.

    Communities are rediscovering how essential you are.

    When the store shelves are bare, it is APPPA members and farmers like them who are stepping in and bringing a reassuring face to their food.

    I am not surprised. I am thankful.

    This is the type of rapid, personal, food secure approach a local and regional economy promises. While you're running and shipping, you should know people notice your actions, and we appreciate them.

    --Mike Badger


  • Fri, November 01, 2019 10:44 AM | Mike Badger

    Jacksonville, FL—APPPA welcomes Dr. Michael Fisher, retired United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) veterinarian, to the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference from January 21-22, 2020. Dr. Fisher will be available to help small family operations avoid regulatory problems with FSIS.

    Dr. Fisher will lead a discussion on getting the hazard analysis right by focusing on the most common and significant problems he has encountered. “Get the hazard analysis right and life can be good.  Get it wrong, and life is an unending series of regulatory problems for which there is no solution,” says Dr. Fisher.

    APPPA will solicit questions from registered attendees prior to the conference, so that Dr. Fisher can come to Jacksonville with answers prepared for those questions. While in Jacksonville, Dr. Fisher will be available for one-on-one consultation and discussion.

    Dr. Fisher writes a blog series sharing his expertise with FSIS regulatory issues on the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund website. This will be the second APPPA conference he has attended as an expert resource.

    American Pastured Poultry Producers Association is a member-based trade organization advocating for pastured poultry through farmer specific resources and consumer education.

    Learn more about the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference.

    Contact Mike Badger at grit@apppa.org or 888-662-7772.


  • Tue, October 22, 2019 1:47 PM | Mike Badger

    Jacksonville, FL—Nathan Bonds, Lean Management expert will provide in-depth training at the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference in Jacksonville, FL on January 20-21, 2020. By leveraging the principles of Lean, Nathan will help farmers become more efficient, reduce waste, and improve quality across all phases of the farm.

    The systematic approach of Lean will provide customers the three things they want: quality, cost, and service.  Nathan says, “As farmers, we want to meet what our customers want, but we also want to lead them to what they need. Lean is about people. We’re going to focus on the people who focus on the process. It’s about our relationships.”

    Nathan will teach workshops on how to get started improving your processes and strategies for managing your labor force (employees) on the farm. He will also lead breakout discussions and be available as an expert resource on both days of the conference.

    Pat McNiff, Owner of Pat’s Pastured, says, “In only three days, Nathan helped us cut our daily labor moving chicken shelters by half when everyone thought it couldn’t be done.” Nathan’s consultation, methodical approach, and endless passion has been instrumental in the continuous and steadfast improvement of Pat’s Pastured, Maple Wind Farms, and other pastured poultry farms in New England.

    Nathan is a Project Manager with Polaris MEP, a Rhode Island organization that helps companies refine processes, build talent pipelines, and break into new markets. An article summarizing Nathan’s 2019 conference presentation can be read at this link. You can watch Nathan Bonds deliver his “Lean Tip of the Week” on YouTube.

    American Pastured Poultry Producers Association is a member-based trade organization advocating for pastured poultry through farmer specific resources and consumer education. Learn more about the 2020 Professional Pastured Poultry Conference.

    Direct questions to Mike Badger at grit@apppa.org or 888-662-7772.


  • Wed, October 09, 2019 6:30 AM | Anonymous

    Jacksonville, FL—American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) welcomes Resaca Sun Feeds as the “Partner Sponsor” for the 2020 Professional Pastured Poultry Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, on January 19-21, 2020. Resaca Sun Feeds specializes in the production of high quality, pastured-raised poultry feeds using Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients. They are a family-owned feed mill located in Resaca, Georgia.

    Sponsors play a vital role in the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference by helping to create robust conference experiences at affordable registration prices and by providing attendees personal access to industry leaders. APPPA encourages all our sponsors to be involved with the conference programming as participants and contributors. The flexible and spontaneous nature of the conference facilitates a more natural engagement between supporting businesses and the farmer attendees.  

    Andrew Moore, third generation farmer and feed mill manager will lead a session on sourcing feed ingredients and working with feed mills in the “Profitable Pastured Poultry” pre-conference course (January 19, 2020).

    American Pastured Poultry Producers Association is a member-based trade organization advocating for pastured poultry through farmer specific resources and consumer education. For more information about the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference can be found at apppa.org/Conference.

    Additional sponsor and exhibitor opportunities remain open through December 1, 2019. Contact Mike Badger at grit@apppa.org or 888-662-7772 for additional information.



  • Tue, October 08, 2019 7:41 AM | Anonymous

    Jacksonville, FL—APPPA expects international attendance by pastured poultry farmers at the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference, scheduled for January 19-21, 2020, at the Lexington Hotel and Conference Center in Jacksonville, FL. The conference brings independent, family-owned pastured poultry farms together for three days of peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Conference organizers encourage attendees to bring their struggles and their success stories because there’s someone in the room who has solved your problem or needs your help.

    American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) has been providing farmer education and networking opportunities to the community since 1997. As the pastured poultry community grew more experienced in the production, marketing, and processing segments, APPPA identified an unfilled need. Experienced community members needed advanced conference programming that went beyond the basic startup and the how-to information provided by the typical conference workshops. The Professional Pastured Poultry Conference fills that need.

    In 2017, the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference was launched in a rodeo arena in Hillsboro, Texas. Those two days flipped the conference script and made the attendees the keynote speakers as several dozen farmers discussed issues in real-time without a single PowerPoint. In 2020, the conference format is expanding to be welcoming and relevant to farmers at all scales and experience; however, spontaneous, attendee-led discussion remains the event’s signature attraction.

    American Pastured Poultry Producers Association is a member-based trade organization advocating for pastured poultry through farmer resources and consumer education. More information about the Professional Pastured Poultry Conference can be found at apppa.org/Conference.

    Contact Mike Badger at grit@apppa.org or 888-662-7772.


  • Mon, July 01, 2019 7:38 AM | Anonymous

    Washington joins California and Massachusetts by signing legislation that prohibits eggs from caged hens to be sold within the state. While the Washington law won't be fully enacted until 2023, American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA) would like to remind everyone that pasture-raised hens always lay cage-free eggs.

    Cage-free pasture-raised eggs are available now throughout the United States using our find-a-farmer directory.

    The clear message for egg producers is that as consumers become educated about industry practices, they reject many of the practices the industry markets as necessary. 

    (H/T Feedstuffs)

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