Quality starts with our facility.

At Timberline, we’re committed to providing the healthiest, highest quality live food on the market. Because our products are living animals, that means taking steps to ensure a clean and healthy facility.

Cricket Procedures

Over the past decade, Timberline has instituted many policies and practices to improve the quality, consistency and health of our feeder insect operation. Crickets are susceptible to several species-specific viruses. The seriousness of this was first realized with the near-total destruction of the cricket population in Europe more than a decade ago. Since that time, we’ve moved forward to incorporate all possible preventative measures and fund research.

The first and foremost action has been to become totally self-contained as a producer, or what we call a “closed farm.” We produce all products onsite at our facility in southern Illinois. Cricket Virus (C.P.V.) has historically spread over North America due to producers buying and selling from each other. If one producer has a problem, anyone he sells to will soon have the same issue and, of course, anyone they sell to will soon be affected. Our strict policy is simple: when it comes to live crickets, nothing comes in.

Facility:

All truck deliveries and visitors must check in at our office before entering the property. Drivers for delivery trucks must take a disinfectant footbath at our dock and stay with their trucks. Disinfectants are sprayed on all packages, etc. to be received since products we purchase may also be delivered to pet shops, bait shops etc. who likely sell crickets from unknown sources.

We also request that trucking companies properly clean containers between uses related to us. This even applies to vending machine maintenance personnel. All Timberline employees, including our security force take footbaths upon entering production areas.

Production:

Production is the core of the business. We take many quality control measures, including using disinfectants, disposable equipment such as liners and feed trays, power washes, washing machines, steam cleaning etc.

UPS/Fedex:

All local drivers are aware not to come onsite from any likely farms. All miss-ships or returns are destroyed, never brought back inside the Timberline facility.

Bait Routes:

Our company bait delivery drivers interact with customers who may have crickets from various sources. They utilize the footbath upon returning to our dock and they carry disinfectant sprayers to thoroughly clean the trucks and contents. After delivery, any expired or damaged products are disposed of outside, rather than returning to the facility.

Tradeshows:

Timberline participates in a number of industry tradeshows annually. The samples we bring to tradeshows are never returned to the facility. Our tradeshow booths are sprayed down after we return from shows.