Townsend Farms – Oakdale, CA

Jake Townsend and the team at Townsend Farms raise Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW) laying hens in the Sierra Foothills in California’s Central Valley. They manage approximately 4,000 laying hens outdoors on pasture where they can perform their natural behaviors, flap their wings freely, run, dust bathe and peck and scratch for grubs and seeds. “We work hard to produce high quality and healthy foods,” explains Jake. “Our chickens range on pasture together to produce a perfect biodynamic environment for eggs.”

Townsend Farms chose to apply to Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW) to validate their high-welfare farming practices. “The chickens live outdoors on pasture and lay eggs in a mobile chicken coop, which offers a safe place for them to shelter and sleep at night,” explains Jake. “Along with their natural diet of fresh greens, insects and seeds, we feed high-quality feed from a local custom grain milling facility. This farming style encourages high levels of omega 3s and CLAs in the eggs.” Indeed, research shows that pasture-based management not only provides the highest welfare conditions for the hens, but also produces healthier eggs containing three times as much vitamin E, seven times more beta-carotene, and twice the omega-3 fatty acids as industrial eggs – not to mention, delicious tasting eggs!

Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW pasture-raised eggs from Townsend Farms are available at regional retail outlets. Check the AGW directory for details. Contact Jake Townsend at [email protected] and 209-549-6160.