What is the Golden Turkey Accreditation Scheme?
The Golden Turkeys Mark is The Gold Standard for Traditional Christmas Turkeys. To put it very simply it means that any farm displaying the Golden Turkey Logo has passed a rigorous inspection, is rearing a slow-growing strain of turkey in the traditional way and that they are free-range.
The Golden Turkey Quality Assurance mark represents the highest quality, ethical and traditional code for all our accredited turkey farmers and also is a product guarantee for their traditionally produced Christmas Golden Turkeys.
• We are around 40 UK accredited, family farmers, passionate about producing the ultimate in Christmas turkeys in terms of; eating quality, welfare standards and environmental responsibility.
• We choose slower-growing breeds and rear them to full maturity, (approximately 6 months), and to our high welfare, free-range standards
• Golden Turkeys are dry plucked, finished by hand, and then hung like a game bird for at least seven days – ensuring the finest texture and fine rich flavour.
(Standard turkey production uses an automated wet process to remove the feathers, which means the birds can’t be game hung.)
• Our Golden Turkeys are sold by accredited farmer / producers at the farm gate, and by high quality butchers and farm shops – never to supermarkets….look out for the Golden Turkey mark!
• The Golden Turkeys mark offers butchers and customers the reassurance of our registered quality code and product guarantee – as all accredited farmers produce to the same standards.
So Why Pay Extra for A Golden Turkey?
• Produced to the highest welfare standards
• Feed contains at least 70% grain with no animal protein. Never given additives for growth promotion.
• Have access to overnight protection from predators with excellent light and ventilation.
• Grown to full maturity – strictly no less than 20 weeks. (Commercial turkeys are grown to optimum weight and often to only 12 weeks)
• These free-range turkeys have daily access to grazing for at least 11 weeks – (a much longer ‘ranging period’ than commercial birds and one which produces a natural fat layer in Golden Turkeys, enhancing flavour and being easier to cook.)
• Slaughtered on the farm to avoid stress of transportation.
• Dry plucked, finished by hand (a traditional process not possible for large commercial turkey producers)
• Game hung for at least 7 days – (this artisan, dry-maturing process is not possible with commercially processed turkeys.)
• Processing facilities inspected by the Environment Health officer
• Independently inspected every year to ensure that the Golden Turkey Code of Conduct is adhered to.
• Supplied with a money-backed guarantee in the highly unlikely event of consumer dissatisfaction.
Golden Turkeys really do offer the ultimate in eating quality, welfare standards and environmental responsibility – look out for our distinctive mark for exceptional quality Christmas turkeys!
Find out more about Golden Turkeys, or your nearest accredited Golden Turkey farmer (or independent stockist) by checking our website and our social media pages.
