When our parents were eager to encourage us to eat our vegetables when we were young, most of us can recall them saying things like, “Eat your peas so you can grow up big and strong!” or “Eat your carrots so you can see better!”

Just as peas and carrots are essential for our health, corn and soybeans are vital for the chickens raised for Georges Farmers Market® quality products.

Corn
At first glance, corn may not appear as nutritious as other grains or vegetables. However, it is a valuable ingredient for chickens for several reasons. Here’s why:

• Along with the fact that it’s the easiest grain for chickens to digest, corn is a key source of methionine for chickens,* which helps birds metabolize the protein in their diets.
• The oil extracted from corn acts as a vegetable-based energy source in a vegetable-based diet, contributing to the vibrant yellow color of egg yolks in egg-laying chickens (as opposed to meat-type chickens).
• Corn also constitutes up to two-thirds of a chicken’s diet and is a prime source of energy for active chickens.

Soybean Meal
Along with corn, soybean meal is another important ingredient in chicken feed. Here’s why:

• A by-product of oil extraction, soybean meal boasts a high protein content, particularly compared to other plant protein sources.*
• Soybean meal also has an excellent amino acid profile that complements that of corn.

Feeding US-sourced grains is important to us.
Georges Farmers Market® chickens are provided a wholesome diet of US-sourced corn and soybeans. We exclusively feed our flocks grains that are grown right here in America’s heartland to ensure they receive high-quality nutrition.

Why is this important?
As our global community grows more connected and grains are regularly shipped to and from the United States from countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey, it becomes increasingly difficult to ensure consistent quality and integrity. The quality standards in other countries are out of our control and imported grains can arrive in a different condition than agreed upon and are difficult to ship back to the country of origin when they don’t meet quality standards. Factors such as moisture and residue in shipping containers from previous shipments can affect the quality and wholesomeness of grains that may make their way into our food supply.

The advantage of US-sourced grains.
Established in 1994, the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) facilitates the marketing of livestock, poultry, meat, cereals, oilseeds, and other regulated agricultural products, while promoting fair and competitive trading practices to benefit both consumers and American agriculture.

Here’s the important part: as part of GIPSA’s mission, the Federal Grain Inspection Service provides the US grain market with federal quality standards and a uniform system for applying them. This ensures superior quality and integrity of US grains compared to imported grains.

A parting thought…
We take pride in offering consumers nutritious, environmentally friendly, and delicious options for chicken products. That’s why we will continue to raise our flocks for Georges Farmers Market® products with exceptional care right here in the US, where they are fed a winning combination of quality, nutritious ingredients—much like peas and carrots.

*Source: Poultryextension.org