Their “Animal Welfare Certified” label has six levels: Step one is the basic certification; two addresses an enriched environment for the animals; three is given to farms that provide outdoor access for their animals; four pertains to pasture-raised animals; step five is given to animal-centered farms; and a 5+ rating requires that the animal spend its entire life on a farm, exposed to the outdoors 24/7 only taking shelter if it so desires. ), and 10% premiums paid from Mary’s to its GAP-certified supplier farms. If this were our educational system, one can only imagine the number of false claims that would be made, and the resulting confusion among universities when trying to evaluate the academic achievements of prospective students. If this were our educational system, one can only imagine the number of false claims that would be made, and the resulting confusion among universities when trying to evaluate the academic achievements of prospective students. The animal welfare component is where “organic” and “humane” really differ. These eye opening accounts have created a new, savvy consumer who is looking for a better quality of meat for themselves and their families. Certified Humane. Contact Us The Benefits of Rotational Feeding, Dog Food Under both certifications, the animals’ must be fed exclusively vegetarian feed that is free from animal byproducts, antibiotics and growth hormones. The USDA organic standards also do not address critical welfare issues such as acceptable minimum space requirements, cruel body alterations such as debeaking and tail docking, and do not address the significant welfare issues associated with transportation and slaughter. The standards are extensive, objective and publicly available on the Certified Humane® website. There are no specific standards to be upheld, and no specific animal welfare audits to ensure humane conditions are being maintained. The results of the GAP certification appear to be pretty rewarding, with increased sales, greater product differentiation (boy, does that fine certification come in handy for marketing! The example above illustrates the challenges faced by consumers in deciphering food labels such as “cage-free” and “free-range,” which do not have a clear criteria or verification process to support them. GAP’s animal welfare standards are specifically tailored to each individual animal group, from cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and bison to chickens, turkey, and laying hens. The “organic” certification goes further in this respect, and requires that feed must be organic as well – meaning that it was produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or synthetic fertilizers. The USDA Organic program lists some general provisions for welfare; however, the few provisions provided are vague and open to much interpretation. Similarly, the “organic” certification is overseen by the US and Canadian governments through the USDA and CFIA, respectively. Nowadays, most if not all of our packaged food is stamped with some sort of label or another. The goal of the standards is to provide animals with a low-stress environment, proper shelter and socialization, and the ability to engage in their natural behaviours. If you’re looking for products that you can feel confident were humanely raised, look for a certification from a credible, independent third party specializing in humane farming. More on Sustainability and Climate Change, Pabst Blue Ribbon Is The Best Beer Of Our Generation, This Simple Flatbread Makes Any Meal a Feast, What You Eat is a Personal Choice, Respect That, Healthy Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes That Won’t Leave You Feeling Remorseful, Certified Humane (for pasture-raised eggs only), Global Animal Partnership (Levels 4, 5, 5+) (Images listed below), American Humane Certified (pasture-raised eggs only), USDA Certified Organic (for dairy, eggs, chicken, goose, duck, turkey, bison, lamb, goat, and pork), Global Animal Partnership (Levels 2 and 3), Crate Free (pork and veal); standards not defined by USDA, Free Range/Range Grown (chicken, turkey, goose, duck), Free Roaming/Pastured Fed/ Pasture Grown/Meadow Raised (beef, bison, lamb, goat, and pork), Grass Fed (dairy, beef, bison, lamb, and goat), No Added Hormones/No Hormones Administered (dairy, beef, lamb), No Antibiotics Administered/Raised Without Antibiotics, Pasture Raised (chicken, turkey, goose, and duck), Ethically Raised, Responsibly Raised, or Thoughtfully Raised; these standards are not defined by the USDA nor are they verified by third parties; they are often used as marketing tactics, No Added Hormones/No Hormones Administered (eggs, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, pork, bison, and veal), Vegetarian Fed (now, this one is just pathetic). In contrast, farms that are part of the Certified Humane® program must comply with extensive welfare standards that cover the entire life of the animal, including transportation and slaughter. Eventually, these labels start to blur into random little pictures making broad claims that the product is gluten free, or vegetarian, or vegan, or that the meat used is certified, with no added hormones or antibiotics, or that the animals used were treated humanely, and on and on. Animal Welfare Approved. Cat Food, About Us Dry Dog Food Rustic Blend Wet Cat Food Fortunately, both the “organic” and “humane” labels have several legitimate certifications. It can be tricky navigating the world of labels. The USDA Organic program lists some general provisions for welfare; however, the few provisions provided are vague and open to much interpretation. Certified Humane has come out swinging. If you see a product that is labelled organic, you can rest assured that the farm animal consumed a higher quality of feed, but unfortunately you cannot assume it received humane care. Shipping & Returns, About Us Let’s clear up the confusion, and walk through the main similarities and differences between the two certifications. FAQ Certified Wildlife Friendly. These consumers are relying on food labels to help them choose meat from animals that are raised in a kinder, more natural environment. Puppy Food Rustic Stew Wet Dog Food Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food Some of the independent parties used by GAP are Earth Claims, AUS-MEAT, Livestock Integrity Solutions Australasia, and Lloyd’s Register. Now it is time to delve into the policies and standards of one well-known certification program, Global Animal Partnership, and one of its compliant farms, Mary’s Free Range Chicken. However, the animal welfare level of the standards is lower than the other programs, just slightly above conventional industry animal care standards. The standards are extensive, objective and publicly available on the Certified Humane® website. Additionally, Whole Foods Market, to whom Mary’s had a history of selling, required the farm to obtain the certification after GAP was launched. To be considered Certified Organic, farms must comply with a set of objective, publicly available standards, and must undergo ongoing audits to ensure the standards are being met.

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