NON GMO feeds

[weeflock]

Sorry, meant to answer you Wee..

They're in WA, so this link might be something you'd be interested in.http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Organi...rence_Material/237_Guide_OrgCertification.pdf
It isn't surprising the employee didn't have a simple yes or no answer if you consider the scope of the question. Is it possible for them to track the crop back- yes. When they are purchasing certified organic grains they're keeping track- but- then you'd have to go to each crop farmer and ask them- which they too will have the records of cultivar grown, seed source, as well as having kept track of testing, cultivation practice, etc.

If you're bored.. or curious.. you could try to sprout some of the feed to check germination.

Wow - that was a daunting read - thanks for posting the link. I get it. I never thought to look up the certification guide . The more you know, right?

I have a good friend say to me on this type of subject - " Everyone's journey is different, for some people it's simply buying organic cookies at the market that starts the process of re education. You have to respect everyones comfort level of learning."

Thanks for adding to this converstaion. You have a really eloquent way of expressing your knowledge.

 

[weeflock]

You're welcome...sorry it was of no help. There's always Costco! I have a choice between traveling 30 miles SE to a store that seldom has the products in stock or 50 miles to Modesto to the mill, last time I went to the mill. We should be able to work in picking up feed with other activities so it shouldn't be a problem.

I' ll have to read through the thread at some point.

Thanks!

Oh -but it was helpful! I started this thread originally to see what other people were feeding and to find some like minded folks! Thanks for joining the conversation and giving me some feed back on the feed. I can now go to my local stores with this companies info and ask them if they would consider carrying it. If their order process is not as product heavy as Scratch an Peck, with less freight, they might consider it. If there is an organic product available next to a conventional product, the people who never thought to feed organic to their chickens, but who choose organic for themselves at market time, will most likely buy the organic product. That, to me, is a big win

 

[WoodsmithFarm]

I was wondering if you could tell me more about your certified organic line (non gmo). We're in VT and recently had a bout of wry neck which has got us reconsidering our feed. We're looking for non GMO, organic (sometimes not the same thing) soy free. Not as clear on the effects of corn, so we'd consider corn in the feed. Right now we're having the Scratch and Peck feed shipped, but I'm not sure we can afford the shipping in the long run. Thanks!

 

[WoodsmithFarm]

We do both, a conventional non-gmo feed, and a Certified Organic line (Which is required to be non-gmo). We perform on-site testing for GMOs when we receive our grains. This won't help you much in California, as we are in Vermont. However, I do ship pallets of feed to California. Freight rates are pretty high, though. Our non-gmo conventional, would be pushing $20.00 per bag, by the time it got out there. Organic is almost $30.00 per bag, after pallet freight. Basically, the freight is adding $7ish/bag

Sorry about the multiple posts… I'm still figuring out the thread situation. So we're in VT and just had a horrible bout of wry neck with one of our girls and are now reconsidering our feed. We've just ordered Scratch and Peck, but the shipping costs probably aren't sustainable for us in the long term. Can you tell us more about your feed? We're hoping for a organic, non gmo, soy free feed. Thanks!

 

[GreenMountainEric]

Sorry about the multiple posts… I'm still figuring out the thread situation. So we're in VT and just had a horrible bout of wry neck with one of our girls and are now reconsidering our feed. We've just ordered Scratch and Peck, but the shipping costs probably aren't sustainable for us in the long term. Can you tell us more about your feed? We're hoping for a organic, non gmo, soy free feed. Thanks!

Hi!

I should have read this thread before I PM'd you about your other thread! Fire away with any questions you have!!


Our Organic line is Certified 100% Organic. Every ounce of product is Organic approved. No labeling games.

We do onsite testing for GMOs, when we receive our grains. As far as I know, we are the only mill in the northeast that does so.

We have a limited line of soy-free product. Actually, only layer pellets right now. However, a poultry grower is coming soon..... Followed by a couple others.

 

[GreenMountainEric]

That still winds up being less expensive than Scratch and Peck -
Let me ask you a question - when I have called on a company stating that their feed is Organic - I have had answers that vary - would that be employee ignorance?-and then there are some of the smaller farmers around here that have told me that Organic does not necessarily mean that the seeds are not either a Monsanto owned company or a modified seed, maybe not modified with glycophosate but some how engineered. I figured if I stay with a verified source then I'm safest - there are also so many more choices on the East Coast - at least that is how it appears to me.
I'm glad I started this thread

good to be wrong

Thanks to everyone posting with awesome info.
Where in California do you deliver?

Annnnnd - I have yet to find a conventional non GMO feed here - that is pretty stinking awesome that your company does that. Cheers!!!!

I am so sorry, weeflock. I forgot to check in on this thread again.

A lot of companies only sell an organic feed that is manufactured for them. They don't actually make it themselves. With that being the case, they do not necessarily have the knowledge that they should. It would be better to go with a company that actually manufactures it. Typically an independent. Even large companies, like Nutrena, have their Organic feed manufactured for them. There are also a few companies that try to get away with labeling trickery......"Made with Organic" etc.

As for the seed- It can't be a GMO seed. That being said, Monsanto, and other large seed companies, sell seed that is non-gmo, and untreated. An Organic farmer is not required to buy seed from a company that doesn't have any GMO seed lines They just can't buy a GMO seed, or treated seed. Certifying agencies do GMO testing in the fields, and we also test at our mill, so it would be very hard to sneak anything through. (Into my mill at least).

What does the source of the seeds that a crop is raised from have to do with whether it is organic or Genetically Modified? Every food and feed stuff that you buy and eat or that you buy and feed to your chickens has been, or will be sprayed dusted, or treated at one time or the other with some pretty nasty chemicals. That is if you are a grasshopper, cutworm, or aphid. Think about it, if this wasn't true then there would not be any organic food on the shelves at the grocery store. "Organic" does not mean pesticide free but instead means that all (well most of) the pesticides employed to grow "organic" food
are the older more dangerous generation of pesticides. Thank of these pesticides like they were the same old poisons that Rachael Carson was so concerned about. Most of this generation of pesticides was first isolated from other plants that demonstrated resistance to insect pests and then mass produced.

If not the largest, Monsanto is ONE of the largest providers of these so called "organic" pesticides. Monsanto does not want to stop selling pesticides to both camps in the "organic" food fight. They make money from both camps. The next big thing in the GMO seed industry is to improve the yields of GM crops. This is why Monsanto is buying out other seed companies. It is to gain access to their patented crop verities that may have over 100 years of research behind them. This and this alone is why some GM crops have lower yields than their conventional competitors. Monsanto is as big a victim of conventional seed companies as the eat "organic" or die crowd says that Monsanto is a conspiracy to ruin small farmers.

Now this bit of trivia from the halls of the evil seed empire. Not only did Monsanto refuse to renew their patent on RoundUp herbicide about 10 years ago, but they allowed their US patent on RoundUp Ready Soy-Beans to expire. I am sure that all the "organic" activist will sing Monsanto's praises from the highest mountain top. Starting this year all the "organic" soy-bean farmers in America can plant RoundUp ready soybeans and save the seeds from their heritage glyphosate resistant legumes and replant them year after year to their hearts content without paying Monsanto a penny for the privilege or having a GMO paper trail leading back to Monsanto to hide.

Had to address this as well-
Under no circumstances, does an Organic crop get sprayed, dusted, or treated, with a pesticide, or herbicide. It is STRICTLY forbidden in Organic production. It doesn't matter what type it is. The only thing they could ever use, is diatomaceous earth. (a type of clay).

An "organic pesticide" is not called "organic" because it is ok for Organic crop production. It is an "organic pesticide" because it is an organic compound, instead of a chemical.

Now, a non-gmo, conventional crop, is a different story.

 

[chickenman148]

Hey Eric,

Is your feed Non GMO project verified, or how do you do this on site? I buy Hiland Naturals Feed and they are very open about their testing and my birds have loved it so far. They are also in the northeast and the shipping prices have been respectable as well. (But it helps that I am in the same state)

 

[GreenMountainEric]

Hey Eric,

Is your feed Non GMO project verified, or how do you do this on site? I buy Hiland Naturals Feed and they are very open about their testing and my birds have loved it so far. They are also in the northeast and the shipping prices have been respectable as well. (But it helps that I am in the same state)

We are a non GMO project member, but cannot yet market a verified product. Basically, they do not provide a "feed manufacturer friendly" way of testing. We can, however, serve as a tester, and verifying agent for farmers that use our products to produce non GMO project verified products.

It really just comes down to their testing requirements. We use an Envirologix Quick Scan. We test for GMOs, and Mycotoxins, when we receive a load of incoming grain. If a load tests above limits, that are established by the non gmo project, it is refused. (The same goes for our mycotoxin testing with USDA standards. We actually have lower limits for that. If a load tests higher than 1/2 of what the USDA standard is, it is refused.)

Due to the fact, that the non gmo project only allows this form of testing for farmers, we are not allowed to market our products this way. The funny part, is that we can use our testing procedures for farmers that want to sell verified product. The farmer can use our grain, and our tests on the grain, and sell a verified product.

The last time I spoke with somebody at the non GMO project, they said they were in the process of changing this. Which would be a good thing. Our process of testing is much more comprehensive than the type they currently require for feed facilities. Their current procedure requires huge quantities of grain be tested with one silo probe test, and sent to a lab, for a $300.00 analysis. (For each ingredient). We are not able to store 1.5 million dollars worth of inventory, to perform this procedure. (Let alone, the space being tied up for a month). We could test smaller lots, however, it would cost $2-$3.00/bag, if we did. I don't think our customers would appreciate that price hike. Especially considering the added cost would be wasted on redundant testing,

With strip technology being as accurate as lab analysis (For qualitative purposes, not quantitative), I feel that it is better to test every load anyhow. I think Non GMO Project is aware of this, and looking to make a modification to feed manufacturers testing procedures as well.



On top of all of that, our Non GMO corn comes from one, and only one, farm. And we are going to continue with just that farm. The non GMO soy is purchased directly from the Canadian export market for European countries that have outlawed GMO's. That product is tested several times, before I see it. And it is tested, yet again, on site. The other ingredients, in our non GMO conventional feed, are actually Organic certified ingredients. If it wasn't for us using the conventional corn, and soy, the products would actually be certified organic.


Long story, short...... We are very picky.

 

[Bethel3330]

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[Cindy in PA]

No, this is true. They've been doing it with human foods for years. Organic is NOT non-gmo. It's only non-gmo if it's labeled as such.

Organic standards do not allow GMO products. Organic does not need to be labeled Non GMO to not contain GMOs. There will always be a trace in things because of contamination. An organic company that tests their grain is as non GMO as you can get.