Evaluating Market Opportunities of Conventional vs. GMO-free Broilers

Project Overview

FW15-054
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2015: $4,003.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2015
Region: Western
State: Oregon
Principal Investigator:
Jared Pruch
Cascade Pacific RC&D

Commodities

  • Animals: poultry

Practices

  • Animal Production: animal protection and health, genetics

    Proposal summary:

    We propose to implement a cost-comparison study between raising Cornish cross broiler chickens on locally sourced, GMO-free feed versus conventional feed. The three related questions we hope to address are:

    1. Given a standardized ration and environmental conditions, what is the input cost comparison between GMO-free and conventional feed to raise 25 Cornish cross broilers?
    2. Given a standardized hatch to slaughter timeline (seven weeks), how does the dressed weight compare between these treatment groups?
    3. Are consumers willing to pay more at a farmer’s market for chickens raised on GMO-free feed?

    The impetus for this proposal came from requests from our customers to produce GMO-free poultry products. Our farm produces pastured chicken, duck, and turkey. At our farmer’s market booth in Springfield, Oregon, numerous customers have indicated to us that they would like to purchase locally grown poultry, raised with GMO-free feed. This project will help our farm - and other local poultry producers - evaluate the viability of raising poultry with GMO-free feed.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    1.       Raise 150 broiler chickens total, divided into six treatment groups

    2.       Document input costs: chicks, feed, processing costs

    3.       Weigh birds individually to compare treatment groups

    4.       Record and chart sales of chickens to consumers at farmer’s market booth

    5.       Educate other producers about lessons learned   by our experiment

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.