HUMANE CERTIFIED FOODS
Many tools help in making conscientious choices easy. In addition to our Humane Planet Certification
To find out where to buy “Certified Humane” foods, go to www.CertifiedHumane.com.
The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is a certification and labeling program that is the only animal welfare label requiring the humane treatment of farm animals from birth through slaughter. The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label on a product you can be assured that the food products have come from facilities that meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment.
The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label assures consumers:
- That the producer meets our standards and applies them to animals from birth through slaughter.
- Animals have ample space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress.
- Ample fresh water and a healthy diet of quality feed, without added antibiotics or hormones.
- Cages, crates and tie stalls are among the forbidden practices, and animals must be free to do what comes naturally. For example, chickens are able to flap their wings and dust bathe, and pigs have the space to move around and root.
To find “Animal Welfare Approved” foods, go to www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org.
Animal Welfare Approved has the most rigorous standards for farm animal welfare currently in use by any United States organization. Its standards have been developed in collaboration with scientists, veterinarians, researchers, and farmers across the globe to maximize practicable, high-welfare farm management. Animal Welfare Approved’s standards incorporate best practice and recent research and have been adopted only after rigorous review. The basic premise of all the standards is that animals must be able to behave naturally and be in a state of physical and psychological well-being.
Animal Welfare Approved
- requires animals to be raised on pasture or range
- prohibits dual production
- awards approval only to family farmers
- charges no fees to participating farmers
- incorporates the most comprehensive standards for high welfare farming
To find “American Humane Certified” (formerly “Free Farmed”) producers, go to www.AmericanHumane.org.
The American Humane Certified program is based on the most advanced system of independent monitoring, oversight and third-party certification through an exclusive three-tier process that provides optimum accountability through transparency.
- Annual independent on-site audits of more than 200 science-based standards and measures conducted by Professional Animal Audit Certification Organization trained and certified auditors.
- Online Compliance Resources to provide regular mandatory audit updates, and monitoring throughout the year.
- State-of-the-art, web-based independent video monitoring that provides 24/7, real-time monitoring and instant alerts of potential problems to the producer and American Humane.