Farm to Fork Process
Maple Leaf Farms puts care into every step of our fully integrated Farm to Fork process. We believe it is our responsibility to be as transparent as possible with our farming practices.
This is the #StoryBehindOurDuck. We demonstrate care and humane practices at every step of the way. We know it is incredibly important to be as transparent as possible in our farming practices, and we invite you to learn all about our process and our Trident Stewardship Duck Care Program.
Involved from Farm to the Table
Eggs laid by parent birds are incubated & hatched at our hatchery.
Our Live Production staff works with our partner farmers to follow our Trident Stewardship guidelines.
Feed recipes are crafted at our feed mill and distributed to all of our farms.
Ducks are harvested and further processed into value-added items at our Milford facilities.
Our distribution center ships trucks nation-wide to foodservice, retail, and ecommerce customers.
Our customer service staff, sales team, and marketing team are here to assist with any questions.
Our story starts with the age old question: did the duck or the egg come first?
In our process, the parent birds on our breeder farms lay eggs that are brought to our hatchery and incubated in a safe environment. Once hatched, our baby ducks move to our family farms in Northern Indiana where they are raised in a free to roam, cage-free environment. Ducks are NEVER given growth hormones and are NEVER given antibiotics for growth promotion purposes. They have free access to fresh water and feed in climate-controlled barns that provide fresh air, but also protect the birds from cold Indiana winters, predators and diseases other animals could be carrying. Our flocks are checked on by our family farmers at least twice a day.
When it is time for harvesting, ducks are processed humanely according to USDA standards. At the processing facility, we continue our sustainability efforts as we attempt to utilize as much of the duck as we can. "Everything but the quack" we like to say. Feathers are sent to make pillows and comforters, and meat becomes the tasty products you love.
Finally, the duck is packed and sent to our distribution center where it will head to food service, retail stores, or to your door if you order on our online store.
Check out an inside look of our process and facilities through our video series and vertical integration animation!
Vertically Integrated
Check out our fully vertically integrated process from Farm to Fork! Follow along step-by-step on Maple Leaf Farms Duck's journey to your plate.
An inside look into one of our Northern Indiana Farms hosted by Growout Field Technician Keturah Hyde.
Take an exclusive tour of our feed mill and feed making process for all of our ducks.
Keeping our ducks happy and healthy is our top priority. Take a look at how we make sure our barns are in top shape!
A quick overview of Maple Leaf Farms' duck animal humane program with fourth generation family member Zach Tucker. For more information visit our Trident Stewardship page.
A quick walkthrough of our hatchery and breeding operations. Follow along on our ducks' journey to our family farms!
LEARN MORE
THE DUCK BREED DIFFERENCE
Did you know there are several different types of duck breeds that may make it to your plate? But, there is a BIG difference in how they may taste. Check out why Maple Leaf Farms produces only White Pekin Duck.
RAISING DUCKS THE RIGHT WAY
Our Trident Stewardship Duck Care Program leads the industry in humane duck raising practices. The program focuses on three pillars: Duck Well-being, Biosecurity and Natural Resource Conservation. All three work in unison to ensure the healthiest duck possible.
