by Jeff Voltz
Bellingham’s Scratch and Peck Feeds, the first animal feed processor in the United States to become Non-GMO Verified, has achieved national USDA Organic certification. The Non-GMO and organic certifications provide assurance for backyard chicken farmers and full-scale farmers that there is a local, healthy alternative for poultry feed, all dedicated to Scratch and Peck’s belief “you are what your animals eat.”

Scratch and Peck owner and founder Diana Ambauen-Meade says she has been supporting the burgeoning backyard poultry movement, with an emphasis on local sourcing, from day one. “We started our business by developing direct and personal relationships with our customers, farmers, and this wonderful community that celebrates good food and good farming. Implementing all the practices to achieve organic certification is another important step to earn and keep the trust of our customers and the market place.”

Besides being able to verifiably trace all feed used in Scratch and Peck products to organic farms, the certification gives assurance the plant meets organic standards for internal processing, storage, and distribution practices. The Non-GMO certification by the Non-GMO Project, assures there are no genetically modified organisms in the feed.

Jeff Franz is Purchasing Manager for the Snohomish Co-op, a local farm and feed store owned by more than 6,000 members. Established in 1935 the Co-op is committed to serving the Snohomish Valley and surrounding area. “Scratch and Peck is really unique. Their product is our fastest growing poultry line. It is a high-end, quality feed, and the only one I know of that is not genetically modified in the lower 48. When you can make the claim of organic certification, it is huge. With that and Scratch and Peck’s non-GMO status, it means more than anything now, because it is very specific and customers understand exactly what they are getting.”

In keeping with the growing trend of pastured chickens, as well as the growth of urban “back-yard” poultry-raising, Scratch and Peck has experienced explosive growth. As organically grown food has also experienced exponential growth over the past two decades, sourcing high quality certified organic grains can be a difficult job. Scratch and Peck is dedicated to sourcing from farms that are as close as possible to their Bellingham plant with much of their grain and legumes sourced from Washington State organic growers.

Ike Jahns, owner of Jahns Farm of Central Washington, provides certified organic grains for Scratch and Peck’s feeds. “I’ve been a farmer all my life and have seen how feed companies often don’t use the whole grain in their feed, often just the screenings from various crops and cracked grains. Scratch and Peck uses the whole grain which is impressive. It is the ultimate feed. Scratch and Peck sources locally, knows their growers, has less pollutants for the local community, and cuts down on the carbon footprint with less trucking.”

“Our work in this movement,” says Ambauen-Meade, “is to gather ingredients from local farms, make them into new products that feed animals in a healthy way, and nurture people’s nostalgic connection to the land.”