How Grass Roots and Tree-Range® Farms Are Changing the Poultry Conversation

In the ever-evolving landscape of ethical food production, operations like Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative and Tree-Range® Farms are making waves. These aren’t your typical poultry producers; they’re pioneering a shift in how we define sustainability, transparency, and animal-centered practices. During her visits to both operations, Chantel Pennicott, ANIMISTIC’s Nutrition Research Manager, gained valuable insights that are helping shape how we speak and think about a pasture raised chicken farm. 

Meet the Producers: A New Kind of Poultry Story 

Grass Roots spans the lush, rolling regions of Arkansas and Missouri, where small family farms operate under a shared set of values. As Chantel walked the pastures filled with native grasses, she observed chickens pecking and foraging naturally. “When you see birds moving and interacting with their environment, you feel the intention behind every square foot of pasture.” 

Over in Minnesota, Tree-Range® Farms showed her a dramatically different, but equally intentional, approach. Their silvopasture systems blend poultry production with agroforestry, integrating birds into forested spaces with fruit and nut trees. “This isn’t just raising chickens in trees,” Chantel noted. “It’s an ecosystem. Every element serves a role; from carbon capture to shade and natural feed sources by design.” 

“It’s one thing to talk about a pasture raised chicken farm in theory. It’s another to stand on the ground and watch these systems function in real time.” 

What Makes These Farms Unique? 

At Grass Roots, the commitment to regenerative, pasture-based production is central. Chickens are rotated frequently onto fresh pasture to minimize parasite loads, maximize forage, and regenerate soil. Their cooperative model empowers family farms with full ownership and accountability, while offering consumers detailed traceability down to the farm level. Chantel was impressed with their deep focus on animal welfare and transparency: “They’re not just producing pasture raised chicken meat, they’re producing trust.” 

Tree-Range® exemplifies a layered systems approach. Their regenerative poultry farming practices involve slow-growing breeds, seasonal movement, and integration into larger perennial crop systems. “These birds are literally part of the forest,” Chantel explained. “They’re building soil and biodiversity as they grow. It flips the script on commercial chicken farming completely.” 

For both operations, the focus is not only on animal well-being, but ecological regeneration, cooperative economics, and consumer connection; making each one a standout pasture raised chicken farm. 

Translating Their Vision into Poultry Lingo 

Chantel’s role often requires translating on-farm realities into product development frameworks. With her technical team, she works to ensure ingredient sourcing, functionality, and narrative all align. “Being on these farms allowed me to see pasture rotation, slow-growing and conventional breeds, as well as natural foraging in person,” she said. “I’m able to express that sight into our custom formulations and communicate it clearly to our clients.” 

These terms: pasture rotation, natural foraging, slow growing breeds, aren’t just marketing jargon. They’re central to how animals develop flavor, resilience, and nutritional density. By understanding the daily operations and intentions of each farm, Chantel helps ANIMISTIC build authentic, evidence-based messaging that connects with today’s conscious consumer. 

Lessons for All of Us 

These visits reinforced Chantel’s belief that knowing your clients on the ground level leads to better science and support. “If we don’t understand what our farmers are doing, we can’t represent them accurately. But when we actively listen, we can tailor products that are both functional and faithful to their values.” 

Understanding the nuances of organic, free-range versus pasture raised poultry also gives ANIMISTIC a sharper edge. In a world where customers increasingly ask: What is pasture raised chicken? Chantel emphasizes that education begins internally. “Our responsibility is to know the difference so our customers can too. That means spending time on farms like these, not just reading spec sheets.” 

By grounding her nutrition strategy in firsthand experience and optimization, Chantel brings authenticity and precision to every ingredient and every claim. “The customers; whether pet parents, farmers, or retailers; can tell when we’ve done our homework.” 

Understanding the “Pasture-Raised” Label: What You Need to Know

While farms like Grass Roots and Tree-Range® set the gold standard, not all “pasture-raised” claims are created equal. In the U.S., pasture-raised poultry should mean birds are raised on open, vegetated pasture with daily outdoor access—typically over 100 square feet per bird. But unless this is backed by USDA label approval or third-party certification (like Certified Humane® or Animal Welfare Approved), the claim can be vague or misleading.

As consumers become more label-savvy, it’s important to look for real standards behind the buzzwords. Pasture-raised poultry supports animal welfare, better nutrition, and regenerative farming practices—but only when the practices are truly in place. At ANIMISTIC, we’re committed to helping consumers and brands understand and uphold the integrity of these claims.

Learn more in our visual guide: “What Pasture-Raised Poultry Really Means.”