Brand | Rating | Product offerings | Market area | Location | Participated in Survey? | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5-SteakThis category of producers represents the “gold standard” in beef production. Producers in this top tier manage diverse, small-to-medium-scale family farms. They emphasize well-managed pasture, animal welfare, and land stewardship. Pasture and other forage makes up all or the majority of their animals’ feed and they are not finished in confinement. | ||||||
Eight Mile Creek Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct, CSA, online | Westerlo, NY | Yes | 1100 | |
Alderspring Ranch | Retail cuts, jerky, wholesale, hot dogs | Online, shipped | May, ID | Yes | 1100 | |
Wheatfield Hill Beef | Retail cuts, ground, organs | Locally in WI, farmers market, farm direct | Durand, WI | Yes | 1090 | |
Misty Brook Farm | Retail cuts, veal | Unknown | Albion, ME | Yes | 1090 | |
Engelbert Farms | Retail cuts, veal, ground, half, quarter | Locally in NY, locally in PA, online, farm direct | Nichols, NY | Yes | 1090 | |
Leafy Creek Farm | Retail cuts, ground, whole, half, quarter | Online, locally in TX | Comanche County, TX | Yes | 1085 | |
Nick's Organic Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in Adamstown, MD, farm direct | Adamstown, MD | Yes | 1085 | |
Windy N Ranch | Retail cuts | Farm direct | Ellensburg, WA | Yes | 1080 | |
Full Circle Community Farm | Retail cuts, ground, whole, half | Locally in WI, farm store, online | Seymour, WI | Yes | 1080 | |
Sublime Organics | Retail cuts | Farm direct, locally in OR, CSA | Sublimity, OR | Yes | 1065 | |
Pu'u O Hoku Ranch | Retail cuts, venison | Locally in HI, farm direct | Kaunakakai, HI | Yes | 1060 | |
Earthwise Farm and Forest Dairy | Retail cuts | Locally in VT | Randolph, VT | Yes | 1050 | |
Avenales Cattle Co. | Retail cuts | On-line, in San Luis Obispo and Templeton, CA | Shandon, CA | Yes | 1050 | |
Williams Farm Organic | Whole, half, quarters | Farm direct | Storm Lake, IA | Yes | 1045 | |
Deck Family Farm (Friends Farm) | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct, CSA | Junction City, OR | Yes | 1030 | |
Alden Hills Organic Farms | Retail cuts, sausages | Online, IL, WI, farm direct | Walworth, WI | Yes | 1025 | |
Ayrshire Farm | Retail cuts, pet food, wholesale | Locally in VA and MA | Upperville, VA | Yes | 1015 | |
Red Hoof Farm | Retail cuts, organs, ground | Locally in WI, Locally in MN, farm direct, delivery | Port Wing, WI | Yes | 1005 | |
Plaisance Ranch | Retail cuts, beef bacon, hot dogs, jerky | Locally in OR | Williams, OR | Yes | 985 | |
Prairie Grazed Meats | Retail cuts, ground, sausage | Online, MT | Havre, MT | Yes | 960 | |
Panorama Organic | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide, online, Whole Foods Markets | Westminster, CO | Yes | 950 | |
Lost Coast Ranch | Retail cuts, whole, half | Online | Petrolia, CA | Yes | 950 | |
4-SteakProducers in this category provide ample pasture for their animals, make a definitive effort to encourage natural behaviors, and make land stewardship efforts. | ||||||
Stemple Creek Ranch | Retail cuts, bones, ground, hot dogs, organ meats | Locally in CA, online | Tomales, CA | Yes | 870 | |
Thousand Hills | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide | Becker, MN | Yes | 865 | |
Lifeline Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in MT | Victor, MT | No | 865 | |
Seven Seeds Organic Farm | Retail cuts, ground, sausage, organs, bones | Farm direct, locally in WI, shipped | Spring Green, WI | No | 795 | |
Starry Nights Farm | Whole, half, quarter, ground | Online | Burlington, WI | No | 795 | |
King's Crown Organic Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in ID, farm direct | King Hill, ID | No | 780 | |
Cosmic Apple Gardens | Retail cuts, organs, ground | Locally in ID, CSA | Victor, ID | No | 775 | |
Cross Island Farms | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Farm direct | Wellesley Island, NY | No | 775 | |
Hawthorne Valley Farm And Creamery | Retail cuts | Locally in NY, farm direct | Ghent, NY | No | 770 | |
Saint John's Organic Farm | Retail cuts, whole, half | Farm direct, CSA, locally in ID | Emmett, ID | No | 755 | |
Sugar Hill Farm | Whole, half, retail cuts | Farm direct | Saint Marys, PA | No | 750 | |
Eel River Organic Beef | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in CA | Hydesville, CA | Partial | 730 | |
BlueLoon Farm | Retail cuts | Farm direct, OH | West Salem, OH | No | 730 | |
McCluskey Brothers Organic Farms (Shillelagh Glen Farms) | Retail cuts, gound, bones | Locally in WI, online, shipped, farm direct | Hill Point, WI | No | 715 | |
Star Walker Organic Farm | Retail cuts, jerky, ground | Online | Fort Jones, CA | No | 700 | |
Cannon Hill Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in VA | Mount Jackson, VA | No | 690 | |
Harvest Moon Organics | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in WI, farm direct | La Crosse, WI | No | 690 | |
Elixir Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in AR and MO | Brixey, MO | No | 680 | |
Winter Green Farm | Retail cuts | Farm direct, CSA | Noti, Oregon | No | 680 | |
Keune Organic Meats | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Farm direct, locally in WI | Seymour, WI | No | 680 | |
Coulter Farms | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in PA, online | Honey Grove, PA | No | 675 | |
Tide Mill Organic Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in ME, farm direct | Edmunds, ME | No | 670 | |
Dreamfarm | Whole, half, quarter | Farm direct | Cross Plains, WI | No | 665 | |
Longest Acres Farm | Retail cuts | Delivery in VT and MA, farm direct, meat boxes | Chelsea, VT | No | 665 | |
Badger Brook Meats | Retail cuts, organs, bones | Locally in VT, farm direct | Danville, VT | No | 665 | |
3-SteakThree-cow rated brands failed to answer some or all of our questions about their practices, however they are considered likely to be highly rated (4 or 5) had they done so. Most of these brands are confirmed to meet or exceed the minimum bar set by the organic standards. | ||||||
Squier Family Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct, CSA | Middletown Springs, VT | No | 660 | |
Bittersweet Farm | Unknown | Locally in NY | Heuvelton, NY | No | 655 | |
Spring Creek Farms | Retail cuts, ground, halves | Farm direct | Wernersville, PA | No | 650 | |
John's Farm & Cattle Tracks Beef | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Locally in OK, farm direct | Fairview, OK | No | 650 | |
White Barn Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Kinsman, OH | No | 650 | |
Skagit River Ranch | Half, quarter, retail cuts | Locally in WA, farm direct | Sedro Woolley, WA | No | 650 | |
Trail's End Organic Farm | Whole, half, quarter | Locally in IL, delivery | Putnam, IL | No | 645 | |
Freedom Food Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in MA, CSA, WIC/SNAP | Raynham, MA | No | 630 | |
Emerald Valley Farm (Hamilton Heights Farm) | Retail cuts, ground, veal | Locally in PA | Newville, PA | No | 630 | |
Farm On Wheels | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in MN, farm store | Kenyon, MN | No | 630 | |
Grassfat Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in SC, subscription box | Hodges, SC | No | 630 | |
Mint Creek Farm | Wholesale, quarter, bulk | Locally in IL, farm direct, CSA | Cabery, IL | No | 620 | |
Cobblestone Valley Farm | Retail cuts, sausages, whole, half, quarter, ground | Online, locally in NY | Preble, NY | No | 615 | |
Carversville Farm Foundation | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in PA | Mechanicsville, PA | No | 605 | |
Pautauwak Farms | Retail cuts, whole, half | Online, farm direct | Alma Center, WI | No | 605 | |
Finch Family Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in NY | South New Berlin, NY | No | 600 | |
M6 Ranch | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct, online | Couch, MO | No | 595 | |
Hu-Hill Farm LLC | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Fort Plain, NY | No | 590 | |
Skiyou Ranch | Whole, half, quarter | Locally in WA, farm direct | Sedro Woolley, WA | No | 590 | |
Wholly Cow Farms | Bulk, retail cuts, ground | Locally in AR, farm direct | Judsonia, AR | No | 585 | |
White Thunder Organics | Retail cuts, ground | Unknown | Wood, SD | No | 585 | |
High Ridge Meadows Farm | Whole, half, ground, retail cuts, organs, bones | Farm direct | East Randolph, VT | No | 580 | |
Flying Dog Farm | Retail cuts, ground, hot dogs | CSA, farm direct, locally in VT | South Royalton, VT | No | 575 | |
Shady Side Farm | Retail cuts, ground, bones | Farm direct, online, locally in MI | Holland, MI | No | 575 | |
Simon Certified Organic Family Farm | Retail cuts, sausage, hot dogs, ground, veal | Online, locally in OH | East Sparta, OH | No | 575 | |
Stony Pond Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in VT | Fairfield, VT | No | 575 | |
Luna Bleu Farm | Retail cuts, whole, bones | Locally in VT, CSA, online | South Royalton, VT | No | 550 | |
Harmony Valley Farm | Retail cuts, whole, half, custom | Locally in MN, subscription box | Viroqua, WI | No | 545 | |
Reedy Fork Farm | Retail cuts, organs, ground | Locally in NC, farm direct | Elon, NC | No | 545 | |
Graham's Organics | Retail cuts, whole, half | Farm direct, locally in MI | Rosebush, MI | No | 530 | |
Dobson Dairy | Retail cuts | Farm direct | Statesville, NC | No | 525 | |
Manna Farm | Retail cuts | Farm direct | Farmdale, OH | No | 520 | |
Apple Creek Farm LLC | Retail cuts | Maine, farmers market, CSA, online | Bowdoinham, ME | No | 520 | |
Green Alchemy Farm | Whole, half, quarter, organs | Farm direct | Kutztown, PA | No | 515 | |
Hanappe Ranch | Halves, quarters | Online, locally in MN, subscription box | Northfield, MN | No | 505 | |
Potters Brook Ranch | Whole, half, quarter | Unknown | Litchfield, ME | No | 505 | |
Seifarm Grassfed Beef | Half, quarter | Farm direct | Oconto Falls, WI | No | 500 | |
Singing Cedars Farmstead | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in VT | Orwell, VT | No | 490 | |
King Hill Farm | Half, quarter | Locally in ME, CSA | Penobscot, ME | No | 490 | |
Organic Prairie (CROPP) | Retail cuts, ground, hot dogs, sausage | Nationwide | La Farge, WI | No | 490 | |
Five Star Farm | Retail cuts, whole, half, live | Farm direct | Oakville, WA | No | 485 | |
Two Loons Farm | Veal, half, retail cuts | Farm direct, locally in ME | South China, ME | No | 485 | |
Hemlock Ridge Farm | Retail cuts, ground, whole, half | Farm direct | Avoca, NY | No | 480 | |
Hidden Acres Organics | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Lynden, WA | No | 480 | |
Kiowa Valley Organics | Wholesale, retail cuts, ground | Locally in CO | Roggen, CO | No | 480 | |
Eakle Enterprises | Whole, half, quarter | Farm direct | Tremonton, UT | No | 475 | |
Seibel's Organic Meats | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Bloomer, WI | No | 475 | |
Sweet Grass Dairy | Retail cuts, organs, quarters, sausages, hot dogs, jerky, ground | Unknown | Thomasville, GA | No | 475 | |
The Larson Farm | Veal, whole, half | Farm direct | Wells, VT | No | 470 | |
Mountain Meadow Farm | Retail cuts, wholesale | Northeast | Studbury, VT | No | 470 | |
Arabeth Farm | Retail cuts | Unknown | Jordanville, NY | No | 470 | |
Wettstein Organic Farm | Retail cuts, ground, sausages | Farm direct | Carlock, IL | No | 470 | |
Brookfield Farm | Retail cuts | Locally in NH, CSA | Walpole, NH | No | 465 | |
Oreganic Beef Co (Rocker 3 Ranch) | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide, online | Madras, OR | No | 465 | |
Providence Farms | Retail cuts, ground, whole, half | Online, delivery, locally in IN | Fairbanks, IN | No | 465 | |
Adams Homestead Farm | Retail cuts | Online, Maine | Bowdoin, ME | No | 460 | |
Baese Family Farm | Retail cuts, organs, ground | Locally in MI | Elsie, MI | No | 460 | |
Pleasant River Farms | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Locally in ME | Bethel, ME | No | 450 | |
Elmwood Stock Farm | Retail cuts, ground, organs, sausages | Locally in KY, online, CSA | Georgetown, KY | No | 450 | |
Glaser Organic Beef | Retail cuts | Farm direct, online | Spalding, NE | No | 445 | |
2-SteakThese are operations that were less transparent to the public and Cornucopia, meaning it is difficult to confirm their practices. These brands may have outstanding questions or concerns regarding their practices and possibly their compliance with USDA organic regulations. | ||||||
PnD Organic Beef | Half, quarter, retail cuts | Farm direct | Chehalis, WA | No | 435 | |
Parrott's Organic Farm & Livestock | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Twin Falls, ID | No | 435 | |
Windecker's Grassy Knoll Beef | Retail cuts, halves, quarters, bulk | Unknown | Frankfort, NY | No | 430 | |
Grassway Organics | Retail cuts, whole, half | Locally in WI, online | East Troy, WI | No | 425 | |
Odermann Organics | Whole, half, retail cuts, ground | Locally in ND | Belfield, ND | No | 425 | |
Mesman Farm | Retail cuts, ground, hot dogs, bones | Farm direct | Mt Vernon, WA | No | 425 | |
Rose Ridge Farm | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Waynesburg, OH | No | 420 | |
Bossie's Best (VB Farms) | Retail cuts, whole, half | Locally in KS, direct market | Home, KS | No | 410 | |
Prairie Pastured Beef (Flaig Family Farm) | Retail cuts, ground | Farm direct | Junction City, WI | No | 410 | |
Gibson Farms | Retail cuts, whole | Locally in SC, farm direct | Westminster, SC | No | 405 | |
Montana Better Beef | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in MT, farm direct | Kila, MT | No | 400 | |
Mount Airy Farms | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Farm direct, locally in VA | Upperville, VA | No | 400 | |
B Bar Beef | Retail cuts, ground, sausage, jerky | Nationwide, online | Emigrant, MT | No | 400 | |
Kerith Brook Farm | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Farm direct | Kutztown, PA | No | 400 | |
Snake Hill Farm | Whole, half, quarter, retail cuts | Locally in OH, farm direct | Chagrin Falls, OH | No | 390 | |
Good Earth Farms | Retail cuts, whole, half, ground | Farm direct, online, shipped | Milladore, WI | No | 390 | |
The Selkirk Ranch | Whole, half, quarter, ground | Farm direct | Sandpoint, ID | No | 380 | |
Medow Farms Organic | Retail cuts, whole, half, quarter | Locally in WI, farm direct | Wabeno, WI | No | 375 | |
McKnight Farm | Retail cuts | Farm direct | East Montpelier, VT | No | 375 | |
Miess Organic Beef Farm | Unknown | Farm direct | Dodgeville, WI | No | 375 | |
SZ Ranch | Retail cuts | Locally in CA | Cuyama, CA | No | 370 | |
Starr Valley Farm | Eighth | Farm direct | Leechburg, PA | No | 370 | |
Brook Ridge Farm | Retail cuts, whole, halves | Farm direct | Lyman, ME | No | 370 | |
Stein's Organics | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in WI, online, farm direct | Ettrick, WI | No | 370 | |
Valley View Dairy | Half, quarter | Farm direct | Maple Lake, MN | No | 350 | |
Winsome Farm Organics | Retail cuts | Locally in NH, farm direct | Piermont, NH | No | 345 | |
C2 Cattle Co | Retail cuts | Unknown | Eagle Point, OR | No | 345 | |
BF&E Organics (Boughan Farms & Enterprise) | Bulk, whole, halves, quarters | Locally in MI | North Branch and Clifford, MI | No | 335 | |
Aspen Island LLC | Whole, half, quarter | Online, Montana Billings area | Lavina, MT | No | 330 | |
Rocky Ridge Organic Dairy Farm | Ground | Farm direct | Litchfield, ME | No | 310 | |
Snowball Ranch Organics | Whole, half | Farm direct | Eureka, NV | No | 270 | |
Cantagree Farms | Unknown | Unknown | mendon, UT | No | 260 | |
A.T. Ranch | Unknown | Montana | Cascade, MT | No | 250 | |
Country Pleasures Farm | Unknown | Locally in MD, curbside | Middletown, MD | No | 230 | |
Cold Springs Ranch | Unknown | Locally in MT | Bozeman, MT | No | 230 | |
C. R. Farms LLC | Whole, half | Locally in VA | Brandy Station, VA | No | 230 | |
Dirksen Organic Beef | Retail cuts, ground | Locally in SD, farm direct | Conde, SD | No | 230 | |
Danda Farms | Retail cuts, sausage, hot dogs | Farm direct | Manheim, PA | No | 230 | |
Sandy Plains Farm | Ground | Farm direct, locally in MN | Belgrade, MN | No | 230 | |
Bowman Road Farm | Whole, half, quarters, ground, hot dogs | Unknown | Barnard, VT | No | 160 | |
1-SteakBrands in this category are suspected of being, or sourcing from, what we would describe as "factory farms." These brands are better than factory farmed conventional beef, but are at the bottom of the ratings among organic brands. | ||||||
Strauss Brands Organic Meats | Retail cuts, ground, veal | Nationwide | Unknown | No | 140 | |
Greensbury Market | Retail cuts | Online | New York, NY | No | 110 | |
Raise American | Retail cuts | Nationwide | Gordon, NE | No | 100 | |
Verde Farms | Retail cuts, ground, sausages, wholesale | Nationwide, online | Woburn, MA | No | 30 | |
Daniel's Gourmet Meats & Sausages | Sausages | Unknown | Bozeman, MT | No | 0 | |
Whole Foods | Retail cuts, ground, sausages | Nationwide | Austin, TX | No | 0 | |
American Custom Meats | Unknown | Unknown | Tracey, CA | No | 0 | |
Simply Nature (Aldi) | Retail cuts | Nationwide | Batavia, IL | No | 0 | |
Azure Standard (DBA of Azure Farms, Inc.) | Retail cuts, buffalo, elk | Nationwide, online | Moro, OR | No | 0 | |
Blackwing Meats | Retail cuts, wholesale, bison | Online | Antioch, IL | No | 0 | |
Meyer Natural Foods | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide | Loveland, CO | No | 0 | |
Applegate (Hormel) | Sausages | Nationwide | Austin, MN | No | 0 | |
Laura's Lean | Jerky, ground | Online, South | Lexington, KY | No | 0 | |
Cedar Acre Organic Farms | Retail cuts | Locally in VT | West Haven, VT | No | 0 | |
Wegmans | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide | Rochester, NY | No | 0 | |
O Organics (Safeway) | Retail cuts, ground | Nationwide, online | No | 0 | ||
Simply Truth (Kroger) | Retail cuts | Nationwide | Cincinnati, OH | No | 0 | |
Burelli Farm | Retail cuts, veal | Locally in VT | Berlin, VT | No | 0 |
The Cornucopia Institute, through research and investigations on agriculture and food issues, provides needed information to family farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in the good food movement and to the media.