You know that feeling when you're doing something you love, feeding your flock, checking for eggs, making sure everyone's healthy, and you find a chunk of mold in the feed? That sinking, "oh no" feeling is universal among chicken people. What happened to Suzanne at Black Witch Farm isn't just a bad customer service story. It's a look behind the curtain at how quickly profit can override common sense, even when endangered breeds and beloved pets are on the line.
Let's get one thing straight: calling someone "crazy" for not wanting to feed mold to their animals is a weird flex, Kim from Cargill. You don't need to be a show chicken enthusiast to know that mold isn't a "toss it out and keep feeding" situation. Many of us have been told by vets, by extension agents, by anyone with half a brain that mycotoxins don't play favorites. If one bag on a pallet is moldy, that's a red flag for the whole lot. So when a massive company like Cargill, who can afford to recall a pallet without blinking, chooses to let a local store keep selling from that lot, and then tries to smooth things over with coupons? That's not a solution. That's a bribe wrapped in a sorry.
Here's what this means for you, practical and blunt: don't assume the store or the brand has your back just because they're local or familiar. That feed store manager, Heather, decided the feed was "still in date" and therefore fine. The Cargill team decided the problem was "that lady" who wouldn't stop asking questions. The assumption that everyone will do the right thing is sweet, but it's also how chickens end up eating stuff they shouldn't. If you find mold in a bag, take photos, note the lot number, and don't let anyone sell you feed from that same lot until you get a straight answer from the company about their actual recall policy, not a coupon, not a promise.
If a reader came to us and said, "I found mold in my feed, what should I do?" we'd tell them this: trust your gut, not the calendar. "Still in date" doesn't mean "still dry" or "still safe." Pull the bag, check the rest, and if the store won't pull the pallet, tell them why you're taking your business elsewhere. And if they call you crazy for protecting your flock? Wear it like a badge of honor. Because the only thing crazier than not wanting mold in your feed is thinking a five-dollar coupon makes it okay.