Pastured Pork Production Standards and Certification Form

Transcription

1 Producer Name: Farm Name: ID: DRIFTLESS AREA BACK TO THE LAND COOPERATIVE Pastured Pork Production Standards and Certification Form Our philosophy is to raise our pigs on healthy pastures with continuous access to natural forage, fresh water, and open shelter, allowing them to engage in natural behaviors: rooting, foraging, exercising, breeding, and playing. We carefully select breeding stock based on their ability to handle the elements and their foraging ability. Our pasture-raised animals have a high quality of life; they are happy, healthy, stress-free, and they receive a sustainable, nutritional, and balanced diet. Also, we treat our pigs humanely at every stage of their lives. Our pasture-raised pigs increase environmental sustainability and biodiversity; they eat invasive plants, till the soil, and re-sow and fertilize their pastures. Our pasture-raised pigs produce the highest-quality meat; their meat is nutritious and delicious, and never contains GMOs, antibiotics, or artificial hormones. The farmers and ranchers of Driftless Back to the Land Cooperative keep the health and happiness of our animals at the forefront of every decision. Co-operative farms are open to farm visits. Come see our happy, healthy pigs! Instructions: The Driftless Area Back to the Land Cooperative will send two Certifying Agents to visit your farm and conduct a Production Verification. If your production processes and facilities meet all of the below standards, you will be certified on-site, resulting in immediate eligibility to sell finished hogs into the cooperative supply chain. If any standards need, a follow-up verification process will be scheduled. Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 1 of 6

2 Fails to Meet 1. ANIMAL SOURCE & BREED SELECTION We encourage natural breeding, but allow for artificial insemination (AI). We document breeding and maintain a breed history and lineage on each animal. We never use genetically modified or cloned animals or their progeny or semen. We select breeding stock to maximize leg health, mothering ability, fertility, disease resistance, foraging ability, cold tolerance, self-sustenance, independence, and adaptability to pastured outdoor environments, such as heritage breeds. Feeder pigs for slaughter must be bought within the Cooperative. 2. ANIMAL CARE 2.1. MEDICATION AND TREATMENTS We never use antibiotics, hormones, or artificial growth promotants on animals marketed through the Cooperative. We encourage herbal and natural treatments to maintain robust animal health. To maintain preventive livestock health care practices, biologic (non-synthetic) vaccinations are allowed, and should be documented in the farm s herd health plan. Sick or injured animals are promptly treated or euthanized in a humane way, whichever is in the best interest of the animal and herd. Euthanasia is only done in a way that causes rapid insensibility and death; and the person performing euthanasia observes until death is confirmed. We do not practice tail docking, teeth clipping, nose ringing, or de-tusking. We rarely trim tusks, and only if there is a risk of self-harm (e.g., to prevent the tusks from growing into the head), or to ensure safety of the herd and handlers. Castration of feeder pigs is done with the highest level of care for animal well-being and health. When castrating, castration is encouraged to take place between 10 and 20 days of age, using a sharp, clean instrument, managing animal pain (if using anesthetic or analgesia, we utilize natural options), while separating the piglet from the mother for the least amount of time possible. Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 2 of 6

3 Fails to Meet Ear tag identification is required on all animals. We do not dock tails, but we may sometimes purchase animals with docked tails; in this case, we will document that the tails was docked before coming to our farm HAZARD MANAGEMENT Care is taken to prevent or minimize animals contact with potentially toxic substances, such as harsh or synthetic sanitizers, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, or any harmful synthetic substances of any kind WEANING AGE Minimum weaning age of piglets is 60 days. However, if the welfare of the sow and/or her litter is in jeopardy, we may wean piglets earlier HANDLING AND TRANSPORTATION In all the handling of animals the well-being of the animals is always foremost. Animals are never mistreated or abused in any way DOCUMENTATION We document feeder pigs birth-to-slaughter records of health, feed, and treatments, to ensure our quality standards throughout our pigs lives. 3. PASTURE MANAGEMENT 3.1. ACCESS TO FORAGE All pigs, except unweaned piglets under 2 weeks of age, have access to edible forage on a daily basis. Examples of edible forage include pasture, root vegetables, straw, hay, crop stubble, silage, bailage, haylage, or corn stalks ROTATION REQUIREMENTS Pastures are rested and allowed to regenerate between groups of animals. Pigs are rotated once the pasture has reached less than 60% vegetative coverage except when tilling for reseeding, or in accordance with a farms written grazing plan. Achievement Pastures are allowed to regenerate Animals are rotated on a regular basis as needed Pigs should be on growing vegetation when in the growing season. This standard cannot be met by placing harvested vegetation and/or forages, such as alfalfa hay in the outdoor area. Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 3 of 6

4 Pasture includes access to rangeland, grassland, planted pastures, managed pastures, wooded Fails to Meet areas, harvested crop land and any land where pigs have access to vegetation. 4. FEED AND WATER All animals need to have daily access to clean drinking water. All animals have feed available at all times. (Refer to section 3.1 for more information) For every market animal, each operation must keep records of up-to-date feed ration ingredients and verification of it being non-gmo feed. This includes verification of non-gmo seeds for fields planted for forage. Pastures are not treated with herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. 5. HOUSING 5.1. TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT We provide our animals with access to shelter and water so that they can naturally regulate their temperature in all seasons. This includes access to wallows and/or shade in warm weather. Given our preference for natural rearing systems, we use the term shelter to refer to both artificial and natural housing. Examples of artificial housing includes huts or barns. Examples of natural housing includes trees, shrubs, logs, caves, or stone outcrops. Importance is placed on the animals ability to maintain their thermal comfort in the way most comfortable to them. All pigs have access to winter housing with plenty of good dry bedding (e.g., straw, hay, corn fodder). All shelter must have continuous access to the outdoors. Animals can be temporarily placed inside only when necessary for the health of the animals (e.g., extreme weather events). Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 4 of 6

5 5.2. FARROWING HOUSING Fails to Meet Farrowing Pen and Hut Definitions: A Farrowing Pen is found in indoor systems and is defined as an area for an individual sow and her piglets that allows the sow to come and go freely A Farrowing Hut is found in outdoor systems and is defined as a structure with a roof located in an outdoor area or pasture, designed for an individual sow and her piglets that allows the sow to come and go freely. Farrowing Huts include when the sow builds her own farrowing nest in the pasture (e.g., with branches, logs, rocks, in caves). When farrowing, the health and well-being of the sow and her piglets is of utmost importance. Our preference is to allow sows to undergo a natural and humane farrowing process. When farrowing, we allow sows access to farrowing huts, pens, or the area and material to build their own nests. We never use farrowing crates, gestation crates, or sow stalls, as they unnaturally constrain sow movement. Man-made farrowing pens are especially preferred for winter or any severe weather farrowing, as needed for the well-being of the animals. Size requirement of an enclosed farrowing pen is determined by the size of the sow; the sow always has full range of motion within the pen, and is only confined to the pen for the duration necessary for the safety of the animals (determined by farmer discretion). Piglets are often confined to farrowing pens until they can safely navigate the pasture (up to 2 weeks of age). All pigs over 2 weeks of age have continuous access to pasture. After 2 weeks of age, we never confine animals inside; the rare exception is when weather conditions pose a risk to the welfare of the piglets PEST MANAGEMENT Healthy farm ecosystems are an important part of raising healthy animals. Therefore, we practice a three-step pest-management process that prioritizes biological resilience to issues with pests. 1. We utilize management practices to prevent pests. These include, but are not limited to, pasture rotation, nutrient management practices, crop rotation, sanitation practices. 2. When management practices are not preventing pests, we may utilize mechanical or physical methods of control and prevention. These include, but are not limited to, introduction of predators for pests, development of natural habitat for predators of pests, nonsynthetic humane controls (e.g., lures, traps, repellants), as approved by the cooperative. 3. When management practices and mechanical options are insufficient, temporary synthetic controls may be utilized, but may not be used continuously. Any use of synthetic controls must be documented, with an account of all Step 1 and 2 measures taken. Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 5 of 6

6 6. FARM VISITS Fails to Meet All animals sold through this cooperative are raised according to cooperative production standards on cooperative producers farms. Producer and Consumer Cooperative members can visit our farms for free; to do so, please contact us to schedule a tour. Come see our happy, healthy pigs for yourself! Describe the Rationing Ingredients given to these pigs: Describe the breeds raised by this producer: Certifier #1: Certifier #2: Name: Signature: Date: Name: Signature: Date: Write any other notes here: Revision Date: June 1, 2018 Page 6 of 6