Corn Free, Soy Free - Know the Facts

Our methods of livestock management aim to maximize access to natural forages.  All of our shelters are moveable to bring our animals close to the best resources.  Make no mistake, however, the feed ration is not merely “supplemental”, as many farm marketing materials might suggest — it’s the foundation of health, growth, and ultimately, the quality of food we produce for people.  Using the word “supplemental” is deceptive, giving the impression that livestock consume limited amounts.  Whether raising laying hens, broiler meat chickens, or pigs, the ration must supply balanced energy, protein, and essential amino acids. In the Midwest, corn and soybeans remain the most efficient and sustainable way to meet those needs — especially when they’re grown locally using regenerative farming methods.

The Purpose of Feed
Animals are biological converters. They take plants that humans cannot efficiently digest — grains, legumes, forages — and turn them into nutrient-dense foods like eggs, meat, and milk. Chickens and pigs cannot thrive on pasture or kitchen scraps alone. Their feed must match the specific energy and amino-acid profiles their bodies require for muscle, immune function, and reproduction. Balanced feed means better animal welfare, and more consistent nutrition for people.

Corn and Soy – Not What You Think
A common myth is that “corn and soy are bad” in animal feed because processed human foods that use corn syrup or soybean oil are unhealthy. The biology, however, is completely different. The animals aren’t eating refined sweeteners or oils; they’re consuming whole-plant ingredients that are digested, fermented, and metabolized into tissue and eggs — Corn and soy are not not passed through unchanged. In other words, eating chicken fed soybeans is not like pouring soybean oil salad dressing on your romaine! 

Corn provides clean, consistent energy from its starch. Roasted soybeans and soybean meal deliver a nearly perfect amino-acid balance — particularly lysine, which pigs and poultry require in relatively high amounts. Together, they form a proven nutritional base that can be adjusted with minerals, vitamins, and other ingredients to achieve precision feeding, thereby achieving optimal animal health.

The “Corn-Free, Soy-Free” Illusion
Some feeds advertise themselves as “corn-free” or “soy-free,” suggesting those ingredients are inherently harmful or lower quality. In reality, these formulas often rely on imported alternatives such as palm kernel meal, sunflower meal, or tropical nut oils — ingredients with less predictable nutrient profiles and significantly higher polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) content. Excessive PUFA in animal diets can actually reduce oxidative stability in meat and eggs, thereby having negative health effects on humans.

Furthermore, many substitute crops are grown overseas under looser environmental and labor standards, drastically reducing transparency. We use locally raised, organic corn and soy, we know the farmers and keep supply chains short and accountable.

Balanced Science and Practical Stewardship
Modern feed formulation is guided by decades of animal-nutrition research and constant laboratory analysis. Our goal is not to make animals grow faster, but to match their digestive biology with the most effective, ethical use of crops available. Corn and soybeans happen to fit that profile better than nearly any alternative.

Corn-free, soy-free feeds that are low in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can be produced — but they come at an enormous cost. These specialized ingredients are often two to three times more expensive, and animals raised on them take roughly 25% longer to reach maturity. That extended grow-out time compounds feed and labor costs, which would force us to charge far higher prices than we believe is fair or sustainable.

At ZOE Farms, our hens, meat chickens and pigs eat a custom ration milled from non-GMO whole grains grown right here in Ohio.  These premium grains are transformed into nutrient-dense human food in the form of eggs, chicken, and pork.  We do not apologize for it, nor do we succumb to the social media hype demonizing these thoroughly researched animal feed sources.  With the science on our side and our locally controlled sourcing, we serve our patrons best by not following marketing fads, but by practicing evidence-based stewardship.