Keeping ahead of the curve.

That's what customers have come to expect from Country Junction Feeds. That what the CJF team has aimed to deliver.

An example is the commitment over the past 10 years to meet the rising demand for certified organic feed.

"We always have been about looking forward," says Bernie Grumpelt, a nutritionist with Country Junction Feeds. "That has been a good fit with our customers because they have been the same way."

In order to meet organic standards a feed ration must be sourced from a certified organic feed mill. That's what Country Junction Feeds offers as the only full line feed mill producing organic feeds in Alberta, serving customers across Canada and into the U.S. including a recent strenghthened pressence in B.C., offering a broad range of pelleted and crumbled certified organic feed.

Standards customers can rely on

In the commercial feed business, a clear trend is that customers need assurance of the quality and standards they are receiving. This is important not only for people feeding animals and livestock but for the market value chains for livestock products.

“We want our customers to have access to the greatest range of options available for whatever market opportunities they wish to pursue," says Grumpelt. "As an early adopter in the area of certified organic feed, as well as in other areas such as assuring ionophore-free, antibiotic-free feed, we are able to show a strong track record of meeting requirements and serving as a reliable, consistent supplier.”

This approach has become important as demand for organic has continued to rise. Also, as new rules come in to play that restrict the use of antimicrobials in agriculture. And as concerns rise about the danger to equine and other species from exposure to feed from facilities where inophores have been present.

Tried and true values

"When you buy feed from Country Junction Feeds you know what you are getting, it's as simple as that," says Darrell Kimmel, Manager of Counry Junction Feeds. "Our standards are based on stict protocols to ensure safe, high-quality feed every time. Our customers have peace of mind all feed from our facilities is ionophore-free and antibiotic-free. Added to that, we offer certified organic feed. And perhaps most important of all, all of our feed is formulated by some of the best nutritionists in the business. All of this ties together as part of our commitment to quality, which will continue to what we stand for now and into the future."

Having this to rely on helps livestock operations keep up with today's expectations and provie assurance to their own customers, says Dr. Nancy Fischer, nutritionist with Country Junction Feeds. "It’s not just about addressing what consumers and the marketplace are demanding. It’s also about helping farmers, ranchers and livestock operations manage efficiently and profitably." Today, livestock operations increasingly need to know exactly how, and in what environment, their feed is produced, she says. This includes knowing definitively what’s in the feed or not in the feed, so they can give simple and clear answers to their customers and others who are asking for assurance.

“Whether the end market is organic or non-organic conventional, we want to provide our customers with a full line of options to meet both mainstream and niche markets – we don’t want supply to be a barrier,” says Fischer. “That means taking advantage of the latest science and technology, adopting the right certification programs, and always advancing our infrastructure, processes, purchasing and relationships to meet our customers’ needs. Together we have made very strong advances to increase the supply of certified organic feed.”

Investing in the future

Industry reports emphasize the need for continued strong growth in the organic feed sector to meet organic food demand projections for the next decade and beyond. This requires continued advances at feed mills to meet infrastructure, process, record keeping and additional certification requirements. This also requires mills to work closely with growers to ensure adequate supply of certified organic feed ingredients.

“Our team has worked hard in both of these areas to build a model that today is working very well and running on all cyclinders,” says Kimmel. “This has involved many years of planning and investing in the future, as well as taking advantage of the latest scientific and technological innovations. This is a journey we look forward to continuing in the months and years ahead.”

Country Junction Feeds, based in Wetaskiwin Alberta, is building on a 100-year history that includes consistent advancement of both nutritional and manufacturing technology and a commitment to robust, science-based approaches, backed by strict bio-security procedures and quality control measures. With its certified organic operations, Country Junction Feeds serves an expanding customer base across Canada and the U.S., specializing in quality bulk and bagged feeds for beef, dairy, equine, poultry, swine, goat, lamb, certified organic feeds and more.