Why Are Our feeds Corn- & Soy-Free?

It’s all about the ratios…

We have been working with corn- and soy-free rations since our farm’s inception in 2017. This is largely due to the fact that Montana does not grow much corn, or any soybean. The options we had for non-GMO and organic feeds that included corn and soy, were sourcing their ingredients elsewhere and we wanted locally grown crop ingredients in our feed. We also believed that cereal grain (wheat, barley, oat, rye)  based feeds would be the best fit for the breeds we work with, as these specific domestic breeds evolved in parts of the world where these grains are the staple foods in both human and animal diets.

One of our longtime pork and feed customers who is a local nutritionist began educating us on the Omega 3 and Omega 6 Polyunsaturated-Fatty-Acids (PUFAs) in animal products (meat, eggs, dairy) due to the prevalence of corn and soy in animal feed. Most of her clients are seeking help with digestive issues and inflammation stemming from their diets.

"Feeding corn and soy to animals increases Omega-6-poly-unsaturated fats (PUFAs) in their meat and eggs. Consuming these fats is linked to increased systemic inflammation, food sensitivities, allergies, and other inflammatory conditions. Allowing animals to consume a more species-appropriate diet, naturally increases healthy Omega-3 content in the resulting meat and eggs." -- Johnna K. Sutton, JD, MS, FMCHC

A friend recently keyed me into a whistleblowing campaign against packaged egg and meat companies, testing products that are labeled “Pasture Raised” or “Grass Fed” and finding alarming levels of the Omega 6 PUFA’s. The press calls this “greenwashing”, where the illusion of healthy products is achieved with buzzwords.  There has been real pushback against these companies including the 30%+ decline in publicly traded egg producer, Vital Farms. My interest peaked.

Just last week we attended the Western Montana Grazing and Agriculture Conference in Missoula, MT. A keynote speaker, nutritionist Sara Keough of Eco-Nutrition, gave a presentation with extreme pertinence to the current headlines regarding high Omega 6 Polyunsaturated-Fatty-Acids (PUFA’s) in “Pasture-Raised” eggs and meat.

Polyunsaturated fats are not inherently bad for us--they are in fact, healthy. The Omega 6 PUFAs serve a function, and are not to be altogether avoided; however, nutritionists are saying that the “healthiest” animal products are the ones that have the closest to 1:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.

Grass fed and finished beef can approach a 1.5:1 ratio among very good regenerative operators. Pastured pork is inherently higher, in the 10:1 range, with corn and soy based feeds with 50% pasture. However, corn- and soy-free fed pork will be lower, closer to 5:1, which is better than any store-bought grass fed beef brand). Broilers are all over the map, but I have seen corn- and soy- free fed birds on pasture data with a 1.5:1 ratio. We have not yet lab tested our pork, but after hearing this presentation, I will.

If you increase the amount of Omega 3 in the feed ration, you get a better ratio. The resulting meat, eggs and dairy nutrient compositions are a reflection of the Omega 6 and Omega 3 levels in the grain supplement. As seen in the photo, increasing the amount of green forage along with corn- and soy- free feed improves this ratio. The high values seen for pork are a reflection in the exclusive feeding of subsidized corn and soy in production hog operations. We have low Omega 6 values in our feed by avoiding corn and soy, and increase our Omega 3 content by including fish meal, flax, flax meal, and a cold pressed flax seed product high in good fats.

Current ratios for our feeds based on nutrient composition analysis by Fertrell (January 2026)

We hope that you form your own opinions and do your own research. We rest well knowing that our feeds are not filled with imported, subsidized corn and soy (or their byproducts), and that our dollar and yours is going to a real Montana farmer who is committed to organic and regenerative practices–trying to keep the wheels on our food system. It’s all about the ratios, and with these values, our feeds are a good basis for your grain supplement program to create healthy, nutrient-dense proteins.