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New certified organic egg operation opens in
Virginia
Ribbon cutting
William P. Dickinson, Deputy Secretary
of Agriculture and Forestry, was the opening speaker at the
ribbon-cutting ceremony for Piney River Organics at Black Eagle Farm in
Nelson County, Virginia April 15, 2008. The group is assembled outside
the new organic laying house, which will accept its first laying hens
later this month. Photo courtesy of
the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. |
On Tuesday, April 15, the owners of Piney River
Organics and special guests cut the ribbon for a new organic egg-laying
operation at Black Eagle Farm in Piney River, Virginia. The Honorable William P.
Dickinson, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, was the opening
speaker. Black Eagle Farm is a family farm located in the foothills of the Blue
Ridge Mountains in Nelson Country. The farm has been in continuous production
for more than 200 years, producing cattle, hogs, sheep, hay and tobacco. Piney
River Organics is the name under which organic eggs and natural meats are
marketed.
The farm employs six full-time and three part-time employees. Each day Piney
River will produce approximately 28,000 certified organic, free-range eggs. The
organic rearing house, begun in November 2007, has been completed and now houses
25,000 maturing Bovan Brown laying hens. The rearing house totals 18,000 square
feet.
The organic laying house, begun in September 2007, is scheduled for completion
this month. It totals 56,600 square feet and is compete with private nest boxes,
ample roosting perches and an automatic egg collection system. The birds have
free access to both ample inside housing and outside pasture ranging. Outside
access to winter sunrooms and outdoor open and wooded ranging areas totals more
than 240,000 square feet. Computer controls will enable energy efficiency by
managing feeding, watering, temperature and air flow. The operation’s waste
collection system innovatively collects and stores litter by automatically
conveying it to the outside. Organic compost will be made from the remains.
The first USDA certified organic free-range brown eggs will be available by June
2008. The organic layer operation will be certified organic according to the
USDA’s National Organic Program Standards by Quality Assurance International (QAI).
Piney River Organics brand product, produced with the Virginia’s Finest quality
trademark, will be a natural-branded product for retailers within the state of
Virginia and in adjacent markets such as Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD.
In addition to organic eggs, the farm raises 250 Texel cross sheep, 400
Angus/Simmental cross beef and 650 Boar goats. The farm has participated in
various conservation programs administered by the Thomas Jefferson and Robert E.
Lee Soil and Water Conservation Districts. These programs, such as the James
Spinymussel Habitat Protection and the Riparian forest buffers, have enabled the
farm to provide the animals with clean and tested drinking water from natural
sources, and at the same time have prevented soil erosion and water pollution.
Find additional information at
www.blackeaglefarm.com
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