Animal Health and Well-Being
Our primary responsibility as egg farmers is ensuring the health and well-being of our hens. In order to produce safe, wholesome eggs, our hens must be healthy and safe 24/7. Hens on Versova’s farms live in temperature-controlled barns where they are protected from predators and disease, and have constant access to fresh, clean food and water. Flocks are monitored every day by animal care teams and promptly treated by on-staff veterinarians when health concerns arise.
The Versova team is constantly adopting new methods and standards to ensure that our hens are given the best possible care. While production methods, housing styles and certifications vary among our farms, a number of Versova’s farms operate under the United Egg Producers (UEP) Certified Animal Welfare Program, which sets some of the strictest industry standards of hen health and well-being. Our hens live in a variety of environments, including traditional and cage-free housing, but no matter the type of house they live in, all Versova hens are given the same excellent care.
With the mindset of continuous improvement, Versova and its farms are always looking for ways to improve, change and update policies that will help maintain compliance with standards. Maintaining the best possible care for our hens is non-negotiable at Versova and we do it because we care – it is our responsibility and it’s the right thing to do.
Environment and Sustainability
Versova’s farms are nestled in the communities where our families and employees live, work and play, which means it’s our shared responsibility to identify and implement practices that will protect the environment around us.
Our primary goal is to reduce our use of natural resources and lessen our environmental footprint. Our teams achieve this by developing and enforcing manure management systems on our farms, working with local soil and water conservation agencies, increasing feed efficiency by making nutritional improvements and reducing feed waste, evolving hen housing to reduce energy use, and recycling and composting as much as possible.
Versova is a member of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry and Eggs, a multi-stakeholder organization built to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement in sustainability for the value chain. As a member, we are an active participant in developing the first-ever sustainability reporting framework for the U.S. supply chains for chicken, turkey and eggs from producer to the final customer.
Egg Safety
We recognize that assuring the safety and quality of the foods we produce at Versova is one of the most important commitments we can make to our customers and consumers, and is essential to maintaining their trust in us as a food producer.
Versova’s farms participate in several national quality assurance programs and implement on-farm safety practices to ensure the quality and safety of our eggs and egg products. On Versova farms, we:
- Follow U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Egg Safety Final Rule regulations
- Implement comprehensive on-farm biosecurity programs
- Practice Salmonella Enteriditis (SE) prevention methods
- Implement a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program
- Maintain Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2 Certification for all eggs and egg products
- Provide on-site United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) verification
- Obtain regular third-party audits
In Our Communities
Versova and its family of farms are committed to engaging and giving back to the communities in which we work and live. Under our guiding principles of stewardship and servant leadership, our teams live by our core values of community and service by serving on local boards, volunteering for non-profit organizations, and actively participating in youth sports, churches and other civic endeavors.
Hunger Relief
As producers of affordable, highly nutritious eggs and egg products, Versova embraces the responsibility of putting food on the tables of those who are facing hunger.
In Iowa, Versova has joined other egg producers statewide in partnering with the Iowa Egg Council to donate eggs each month to Iowa’s food banks to help reduce hunger through the donation program, Cracking Hunger. Versova committed to donating 86,400 eggs each month. Additionally, over the years, Versova’s farms have donated eggs and purchased meals for Iowa families in need.
Versova’s farm in Ohio, Trillium, has a long partnership with the state’s hunger relief providers, working in collaboration with Ohio’s egg producers and the Ohio Poultry Association. In 2018, Trillium donated more than 37,300 dozen eggs to foodbanks and local pantries. In addition, Trillium employees have volunteered at local foodbanks doing thing like meal preparation and filling backpacks for schools.
Sponsorships
Versova’s family of farms support numerous local organizations in their communities through sponsorships. Throughout the years, Versova has invested in programs that support local fire departments and safety programs, children and youth sporting activities, resources for women’s domestic violence and sex trafficking, community festivals and much more.
Charitable Giving
In addition to donating eggs to anti-hunger organizations, local food pantries and soup kitchens, Versova also contributes to national hunger-relief groups like Feeding America. Over the past years, Versova has donated to the organization, which has helped provide thousands meals to families in need across the United States.
Versova’s farm, Trillium, has also been a proud partner of PJs and Eggs, a central Ohio “breakfast for dinner” event that raises awareness of egg production and supports Nationwide Children’s Hospital with donations of funds and thousands of pairs of pajamas.